Ants are just one many insects for which you may have to treat your lawn.
If you own a home with a yard, you have probably had to battle insects both inside and outside. Many of the insects that invade your home, especially ants, are in constant search of food and water sources. Other insects such as roaches, crickets and beetles become a nuisance when their numbers build too high in your yard. The more insects you have in the grass and dirt around your house, the more likely you are to have unwanted visitors indoors. By treating the topsoil, you can stop these insects from bothering you. You can make homemade insect spray yourself. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Garlic Oil Spray
1. Mince 3 oz. of garlic cloves. Place the garlic into a bowl. Add 2 tsp. of mineral oil. Allow the garlic to soak in the oil for 24 to 36 hours.
2. Fill a glass or bowl with 16 oz. of tap water. Add 1/4 oz. liquid dishwashing soap. Stir the mixture slightly to help combine the soap and water.
3. Pour the soapy water into the bowl with the garlic and mineral oil. Stir the mixture well to thoroughly combine the ingredients.
4. Strain the mixture through a small strainer or cheesecloth and into a spray bottle. The strainer will catch the garlic pieces and prevent the sprayer from clogging.
5. Spray the garlic oil mixture on the topsoil where you have seen heavy insect activity. Garlic oil is toxic to many species of insects but is not harmful to beneficial insects such as ladybugs.
Pepper Spray
6. Chop 1/2 cup of hot peppers such as jalapenos into small pieces.
7. Dice 1/2 cup of garlic gloves into very fine pieces.
8. Place the peppers and garlic pieces into a glass jar. Add 2 cups of tap water. Place the lid on the jar and put it in a sunny location. Allow the ingredients to soak in the water for at least 24 hours.
9. Strain the pepper and garlic pieces out of the mixture with a small strainer or cheesecloth. Fill a spray bottle with the remaining liquid. Apply the pepper spray to the topsoil where you have seen insect activity.
Nicotine Spray
10. Crush 1/2 cup worth of cigarettes into small pieces. Place the cigarette pieces into a gallon jug.
11. Mix 1/4 tsp. of liquid dishwashing soap with 1 gallon of warm water. Pour the warm water into the jug with the cigarette pieces. Allow the cigarettes to soak in the water for one to two hours.
12. Use a strainer to pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Apply the nicotine spray to the topsoil where you notice insect activity. Nicotine is highly toxic to most insects, but it is only effective for a few hours, so you may have to re-apply it to areas with heavy insect activity.
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