Homemade Fruit Spray for Bugs & Diseases

General Tips

• Follow a few general tips to make fruit sprays more effective. Apply sprays early in the morning before the sun is too strong, since sprays can make leaves more sensitive and susceptible to leaf burn or other damage. If you spray fruit later in the day, the leaves may not have enough time to dry before sundown, which encourages fungal disease rather than addressing it.

  In addition, winds are generally gentler in the morning hours, so more spray will reach the tops and undersides of leaves, and less will get on you. Even when you're using homemade sprays, be sure to wear protective gear to prevent the spray from getting on your skin or in your eyes.

Insecticide

• If you have a bug problem that you can actually see, such as an infestation of sucking insects like aphids and thrips, you can easily whip up a homemade insecticide with an ingredient you probably have in your kitchen. One tablespoon of liquid dish soap added to a quart of water will do the job nicely; simply mix the ingredients in a spray bottle and apply your homemade insecticide on the areas of the plant that show signs of insect damage. Be sure to use a regular dish detergent and not an antibacterial one.

Deterrent

• Try a homemade deterrent that repels caterpillars, beetles and even some larger pests such as squirrels and rabbits if you see damage, but you can't catch the culprit in the act. Mix together some onion, garlic or hot peppers with a little bit of dish soap in a blender. Strain the mixture so the solid bits won't clog your sprayer and add a little water to thin it out. Spray the mixture on the tops and undersides of leaves to discourage chewing pests from snacking. Be sure to reapply your homemade spray after it rains.

Fungicide

• A simple homemade fungicide will treat common problems such as powdery mildew and other fungal diseases. Add a heaping tablespoon of baking soda and a teaspoon of horticultural oil to a gallon of water; mix well and spray on the impacted parts of the plant. Alternately, mix three tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and one tablespoon of molasses to a gallon of water for an effective, sweet-and-sour homemade spray.