Garlic Chili Spray

This garlic chili spray works really well on infestations of aphids, white flys, or mealy bugs.

Ingredients

• 12 large cloves of garlic (roughly one whole garlic bulb)
• 6 hot chili peppers, dried or fresh
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon liquid castile soap (Shaklee, Dr. Bronner’s, or Kirk’s); you can use liquid dish soap, but make sure it does not contain a de-greaser and isn’t anti-bacterial

Directions

1.) Combine the garlic, chilies, and water in a blender and puree until it forms into a frothy orangey-pink concoction. Let the blended ingredients stand overnight to gain potency and so that the solids settle to the bottom.

2.) Pour the mixture through a strainer lined with cheesecloth (you can use coffee filters if you don’t have cheesecloth.) Make sure you get all the particles out; otherwise it will clog up your garden sprayer.

3.) Pour the concentrate into a jar with a plastic lid (it will react with metal.)

4.) Stir in the liquid soap and label the jar.

5.) When ready to use, mix 2 tablespoons of concentrate per quart of water in a garden sprayer. Anything stronger then this could cause damage to the plants so don’t get aggressive.

6.) Spray infested plants during the late afternoon. If you spray early in the morning, the sun mixed with the spray may burn the plants.

If one application does not clear up an infestation, you can do multiple applications, but put 2-3 days between applications.

Makes 2 ½ cups of concentrate.

NOTE: Do not use a garden sprayer that you have also used to spray poison or weed killer. Remnants of the poison can remain in the sprayer and kill your plants.

For more information about homemade pest control methods, please use one of the links below:

• Garlic Spray
• Garlic Chili Spray
• Insecticidal Soap Spray
• Tomato Leaf Spray
• Homemade Pest Control Home Page