Hey guess what-- I'm going to tell you about the bug spray I use on my plants. I don't like neem oil and I'm too poor to buy enough to try to like it. I don't want to kill my beneficials if I have a choice. I need something weaker that I can spot apply.
2 Parts isopropyl alcohol (70%, 90%, 99%, whatever. I've used them all. I'm not your dad and won't tell you what to do)
4-5 parts water
A bloop of soap. Potentially a glug all the way up to a dollop depending on the size of the batch you're making.
Spray it on the bugs that have the AUDACITY to attempt existing somewhere that you haven't given them permission to. I let it sit for like 5 minutes. Maybe there's no reason to do that but I just can't manage to care enough to look into it. Rinse it off (ESPECIALLY if you're doing this on leafy greens).
The soap breaks the surface tension of the water which is already pretty weak thanks to the alcohol. This means that the bugs sink into the water. This also means that the water will flow directly into the opening on their thorax through which the bugs passively respire. Getting water and alcohol in the breathy-hole isn't great for them.
I like this method because I've never seen a mixture this (relatively) dilute damage any of my plants. The alcohol makes the substance evaporate faster so, even if it doesn't get rinsed off, it doesn't stick around long.
You can replace the alcohol with white or apple cider vinegar but BE WARNED that it won't evaporate as fast and could potentially disrupt osmotic pressure enough to makes your plants all fucked up. It's handy in a pinch, though.
Good luck and godspeed, you beautiful fucker.
#plants #gardening #garden #farm #indoorFarming #indoorPlants #pests #pesticide #pestControl #aphids #fleaBeetles
Gartenpoet
Colin Purrington
Plazi Species
Brad Ganley