Natural Aphid Spray

Imagine my chagrin this year when for the first time ever I decided to try growing dill and woke up one morning wondering why the upper most tender portions of the plants, which were ready for harvest, were drooping heavily sideways. Upon closer inspection those portions were covered with aphids. Well, I certainly didn't want to use anything as a remedy that would be toxic so went to several internet sites to find a workable natural solution.

By the way, you will also want to check plants, both edible and ornamental, near the infested ones. I found those little buggers were also beginning to munch on my pepper plants! This is the solution that worked for me in just a couple of days by adjusting assorted homemade recipe ingredients that I came across on the web. First, in the case of my dill, I cut off the upper portions, which were most likely no longer fit to consume anyway, rinsed the remaining portions of the plants with a heavy stream of water and then heavily sprayed the plants and the surrounding soil with a water bottle using the following recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 tbsp liquid dish washing soap

Directions:

1. Mix ingredients well in a lidded glass jar.
2. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of the solution per each cup of water in the spray bottle and store remaining solution in the jar in the refrigerator.
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3. Soak spray the infested plants and surrounding soil.
4. Repeat the rinsing and spraying for two more days and then use the solution thereafter once a week.
5. Do not spray when direct sun is on the plants because the combination of the sun rays and solution will burn the leaves.

Note: On the third and fourth days I did find a couple of renegade aphids on the stems and gave them a quick spray. When I checked each morning thereafter, those same little guys were brown and dead. I have absolutely no clue how or why but it gave me great satisfaction. ;-)

By Deeli from Richland, WA