Pests and insects are a long-standing problem for anyone involved in gardening, agriculture and horticulture. But did you know that you can also free your plants from infestation with natural remedies ?

Anyone would like to have beautiful, healthy and thriving plants. Unfortunately, diseases and harmful insects constantly put their health at risk. How can you protect them then? The most widespread - and wrong - belief is that pesticides and other chemical substances are the only truly effective defense products.

On the contrary, there are many natural remedies for plants that are just as good, if not better than chemical substances, which are expensive and potentially harmful not only to the environment but to our own health.

The growth of organic agriculture and horticulture in recent years has gone hand in hand with the use of more sustainable defense systems . As we will see, there are many ways to take care of plants, protect them naturally and, above all, make them healthier and more productive.

In this article, we will explore some of the most effective natural remedies for taking care of our plants, paying particular attention to the most valid ones for combating the insects and parasites that most frequently infest gardens and crops.

In this article, we will explore some of the most effective natural remedies for taking care of our plants, paying particular attention to the most valid ones for combating the insects and parasites that most frequently infest gardens and crops.

Here's what you'll find:

Continue reading the article.

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Why choose an home made remdy for plant

It may perhaps seem obvious to you, but it is still a fact. Using natural methods to care for plants is not only better for the environment around us but also for the health of people and the plants themselves. 

A biological remedy is generally considered better than a chemical one because it offers many more benefits. Here are the ones:

1. Health safety

Natural remedies are less toxic than chemical ones, which can cover flowers, fruits and vegetables with toxic substances, thus constituting a danger to human health and pets.

2. Environmental protection

Pesticides, insecticides and chemical pesticides inevitably disperse into the environment, polluting and also causing potential damage to bees, other beneficial insects, birds and other wild animals.

3. Greater long-term effectiveness

Chemical insecticides and pesticides, together with harmful animals, can also eliminate those species of insects that are beneficial and useful to the plant ecosystem. Biological remedies, on the other hand, are more valid in the long term because they act in a targeted way against diseases and harmful insects.

4. More sustainability

Using organic defense products for gardens and cultivation contributes to environmental sustainability and, above all, to the conservation of biodiversity.

5. Less resistance

Just like antibiotics for humans, the use of chemical pesticides for plants also creates a sort of resistance in insects to certain active ingredients over a long time, making subsequent applications less effective. Instead, biological remedies create a balanced ecosystem that limits the proliferation of harmful insects while favoring that of beneficial insects.

Another advantage that should not be underestimated is the economic savings . Chemical products, in fact, are often much more expensive than natural and organic ones, which can also be prepared at home with commonly used elements such as neem oil and Marseille soap.

Now that you know why natural remedies are the safest, most sustainable and effective choice for your plants, let's see in the next paragraph which ones help you have a more productive and insect- and parasite-proof cultivation.

Insect and plant pest control with natural remedy

Aphids , whitefly , red spider mite . These are just some of the most feared enemies for our plants. We have dedicated many articles to the importance of being able to identify them in time. After all, who doesn't remember the saying: "If you know your enemy, your victory is certain" ? And that's how it is: knowing them makes it much easier to eliminate them with the most effective remedies.

But how can you take care of your green space in a natural and sustainable way?

  • Repellent plants: some aromatic species such as lemongrass, mint and lavender, give off a repellent and annoying scent for some insects, which will therefore keep well away from your crops;
  • Protection structures : densely woven non-woven protective nets can be a good solution for protecting plants from the aggression of some particularly harmful volatile insects;
  • Chromotropic traps : they are minimally invasive defense tools which, based on their colour, attract certain species of insects which will remain trapped in the layer of glue present on their surface.
  • Natural fertilizers : manure, compost, dried blood and any other fertilizer considered natural for plants, provide the essential nutrients to make them grow stronger by increasing their immune defenses in case of aggression;
  • Beneficial insects : encouraging the presence of so-called beneficial predatory insects (e.g. ladybird, beetle, lacewing etc.) is a natural and sustainable solution to keep harmful ones away without damaging the plants;
  • Plant essences and extracts : decoctions, infusions and macerates with essences of other plants (e.g. garlic, neem oil, eucalyptus oil, etc.) can help you keep insect enemies away in a 100% natural way.

Not all of these remedies work the same way on different species of insects and parasites. Therefore, it is important to identify the specific problem before choosing a suitable remedy. In the next paragraphs we will see how to fight some species of plant parasites with the right natural remedies.

Remedies against aphids

Aphids, also known as plant lice, are the most common insects that infest fruit trees, horticultural crops and ornamental plants without distinction. The presence of these tiny insects is revealed by the deformed and crumpled appearance of the leaves , by their yellow color , and by a poor production of flowers and fruits.

Periodic control of crops and prevention are undoubtedly the best defense strategies against aphids. However, it is also possible to use many specific insecticidal remedies for aphids , including:

  • Predatory insects : such as ladybugs, diptera, neuroptera, hymenoptera;
  • Repellent plants : such as: nasturtium, calendula, garlic and chrysanthemum:
  • Pyrethrum : among the most powerful natural insecticides for aphids; 
  • Black garlic decoction : powerful insect repellent and pesticide to spray on plants to keep many insects away.
  • Marseille soap : to be diluted in water to create a pesticide to be sprayed directly on the leaves;
  • Nettle macerate : a powerful biological solution that immediately eliminates the parasites present and keeps all the others away;
  • Neem oil : among the most used natural insecticides because it is totally natural and non-toxic.

In the next paragraph, let's see which measures are most valid to combat the dangerous whitefly.

Remedies against whitefly

This tiny white insect is a real cross for many growers and horticulturists, as it attacks many species of plants, including hemp.

The whitefly is truly resistant, so much so that it is capable of surviving even outside greenhouses during the winter season and then starting to reproduce in spring, with an extraordinary capacity of around 200 eggs per month.

If the plants are attacked by this insect you will be able to witness progressive defoliation , necrosis and leaf drying , as well as honeydew with consequent mold formation. However, there are several remedies you can use to fight whitefly , including:

  • Chromotropic adhesive traps : in particular yellow ones , capable of attracting the fly and trapping it on the adhesive surface;
  • Natural insecticides : Neem oil, Pyrethrum, sulfur powder, garlic and chilli infusion, are all organic remedies to combat whitefly;
  • Natural predators : Insects such as bloodworms, spiders and beetles can help fight the whitefly by eating its eggs and larvae;
  • Biological control techniques : in addition to predatory insects, you could also use entomopathogenic fungi and viruses and repellent plants, equally effective for controlling the proliferation of whiteflies;
  • Cultural techniques : avoiding wetting the leaves, maintaining good ventilation, removing infected leaves, protecting the plants with mesh nets and using mulches are all methods that help you limit the spread of whiteflies.

For an effective fight against whitefly, our advice is to use - if necessary - a combination of multiple methodologies. If you want to learn more about the topic, read our article entitled "How to recognize and prevent whitefly" .

Remedies against thrips

Thrips are small, annoying winged insects that are very common in indoor and outdoor crops. Problematic to eliminate and not always easy to identify, they are also highly harmful to most herbaceous plants and vegetable, flower and fruit plants. 

Most of the time they cause discoloration of the plant, deformation of fruits, buds and leaves, up to and including death itself. Among the most affected are hemp and cotton, but also species grown in greenhouses during the winter season.

However, keeping them away from your crops is possible, as long as you use truly effective remedies, such as:

  • Chromotropic adhesive traps : in particular the anti-thrips ones which are blue or yellow in colour . An excellent method for identifying the first signs of infestation;
  • Predatory antagonistic insects : especially ladybugs, Orius Laevigatus, Amblyseius cucumeris and similar, particularly fond of these parasites;
  • Biological control : in addition to beneficial insects, entomopathogenic nematodes (in particular Steinenernema feltiae) are also very useful , microorganisms that parasitize the larvae of thrips, preventing their development into adults;
  • Cultivation techniques: in particular, the indoor cultivation environment must be kept clean, and all equipment used for cultivation must be disinfected daily;
  • Natural insecticidal remedies : among the most effective against thrips are lemongrass soap, neem oil or products based on Azadirachtin, Pyrethrum and rock dust.

Don't forget, to eliminate thrips once and for all, it may be necessary to use a combination of several methods and evaluate which method is most suitable for the type of infested plant. 

Also read the article entitled "Thrips: how to fight and prevent them" , if you want to broaden your knowledge on the fight against this annoying insect.

Remedies against red spider mites

The red spider, also known as the "mild spider", is among the most common and insidious insects for cultivation. Despite being tiny, spider mites can compromise and destroy the plants they attack in a very short time, if not detected in time.

The aggression of this phytophagous manifests itself with rather evident symptoms, such as: depigmentation and burning on the leaves, drying , necrosis and translucent spots.

Natural remedies to combat red spider mites should be used above all with a view to prevention . In particular, it concerns:

  • Neem oil;
  • Potassium soap or lemongrass;
  • Pyrethrum-based products (such as Spidermite Control );
  • Garlic and chilli decoction;
  • Natural predators avid of this mite (such as the species Amblyseius californicus and Phytoseiulus persimilis ).

Would you like to know more? Then read our article: "Red spider: useful remedies to fight and eliminate it" . 

Remedies against mites

Like the other species mentioned so far, mites are also dangerous enemies that infest many indoor and outdoor crops, causing very heavy damage.

These tiny arachnids, almost invisible to the naked eye, damage the plant by feeding on its lifeblood. This is visually manifested by abnormal development of leaves and stems, decreased plant growth , leaf necrosis , drastic decrease in pistils and flowers .

How are these parasites eliminated? There are several alternatives:

  • Introduce natural predators : such as Amblyseius Cucumeris , Amblyseius Fallacis , T. Reticulatus , Scolothrips Sexmaculatus , which you can also buy in shops specialized in biological control
  • Use natural pesticides : such as cooked garlic or tansy infusions;
  • Pyrethrum : useful and effective only if the solution has a pH lower than 7;
  • Cultivation techniques : keep the cultivation environment ventilated and slightly humid, eliminate infected leaves and substrate, disinfect the entire cultivation area and tools in case of infestation.

We advise you to delve deeper into the discussion on the fight against mites by reading our contribution entitled "Micro mites and Marijuana" .

Are your crops struggling with annoying parasites ? Find out in the next paragraph which are the best insecticides for plants that you find on sale on Grow Shop Italia .

What are the best medicine for your plants

As you have seen, to protect the health of your plants there are many natural remedies that you can use against the most common insects and parasites.

  1. Kanaplant defense 1 : 110% natural pesticide composed of pine oil and nettle extract which protects plants from the attack of aphids, lice and other sucking insects.
  2. Kanaplant defense 2 : natural acaricide composed of a thyme extract with the addition of potassium soap protects plants from the attack of mites and red spider mites.
  3. Kanaplant defense 3 : natural antifungal ideal for combating attacks of mold, fungi and fungi. 100% organic product based on Horsetail and Aloe Vera.
  4. Neem oil : this preparation contains azadirachtin , an active ingredient considered among the most effective against fungi and parasites, provided it is used preventively. This oil creates an unfavorable environment for their proliferation, but above all it raises the plant's immune defenses, also contributing to its growth;
  5. Potassium soft soap : a natural potassium-based, sodium-free product that you can dilute in water. It is sprayed on the leaves to remove and mechanically destroy the eggs and insects present;
  6. Propolis : this resinous substance produced by bees is widely used in organic farming, as a powerful pesticide with bactericidal and antiviral action. Added to copper sulphate it increases the immune defenses of plants;
  7. Pyrethrum : all pyretin- based productshave proven to be very effective in fighting different types of insects. However, it is not selective and can also accidentally eliminate predatory insects. This is why pyrethrum should be used sparingly;
  8. Zeolite : natural pesticide derived from the mechanically micronized mineral rock of the same name, which is sprayed directly on the plant to protect it from attacks by parasites and fungi;
  9. Rock powder : a micronized rock powder preparation that provides essential trace elements and micronutrients to plants to grow strong while also increasing their natural defenses; 
  10. Sodium silicate : a pesticide and insecticide composed of a combination of silica and sodium carbonate, very effective in creating a natural barrier on plants that prevents insects and parasites from attacking them.

Obviously there are many more products you can use. It is essential to know that if used uninformedly and improperly they can damage crops. 

Are you looking for natural remedies for house or garden plants? Grow Shop Italia has reserved for you an entire category of the site dedicated to the best natural insecticide and pesticide products for your indoor and outdoor crops.

If you have any doubts about how to use them, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our crew will be happy to put all their experience at your service.