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 pesticides?

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

On the contrary, there are many natural remedies for plants that are equally valid, if not better than chemicals, 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.

Here's what you'll find:

Continue reading the article.

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Why choose an organic pesticides to protect plants

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

A natural pest control is generally considered better than a chemical one because it offers many more benefits. Here are which ones:

1. Safety for health

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

2. Environmental protection

Plant protection products, insecticides and chemical pesticides are inevitably dispersed into the environment polluting and also causing potential damage to bees, other beneficial insects, birds and other wild animals.

3. Increased long-term efficacy

Chemical insecticides and pesticides together with harmful animals can also eliminate those species of insects that are beneficial and useful to the plant ecosystem. Organic pest control, 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 biological 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 plant insecticides over the long term can create a sort of insect resistance to certain active ingredients, making subsequent applications less effective. Instead, biological remedies create a balanced ecosystem that limits the proliferation of harmful insects by favoring that of beneficial insects.

Another advantage that should not be underestimated is the economic savings . In fact, chemical products 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 most effective choice for your plants, let's see in the next paragraph which ones help you to have a more productive and insect and parasite-proof crop.

Garden pesticide against insects and plant parasites

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 spot them in time. After all, who does not remember the saying: "If you know your enemy, your victory is sure" ? And it is like this: knowing them makes it much easier to be able 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 citronella, mint and lavender, give off a repellent and annoying scent for some insects, which will thus keep well away from your crops;
  • Protective structures : protective non-woven mesh nets can be a good solution to defend plants from the aggression of some particularly harmful volatile insects;
  • Chromotropic traps : they are non-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. ladybug, beetle, chrysopa, etc.) is a natural and sustainable solution to keep harmful ones away without damaging plants;
  • Plant essences and extracts : decoctions, infusions and macerations 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 colour , and by a scarce production of flowers and fruits.

Periodic crop control and prevention are undoubtedly the best defense strategies against aphids. However, it is also possible to resort to many specific insecticide remedies for aphids , including:

  • Predatory insects : such as ladybirds, diptera, neuroptera, hymenoptera;
  • Repellent plants : such as: nasturtium calendula, garlic and chrysanthemum:
  • Pyrethrum : among the most powerful natural insecticide for aphids; 
  • Black garlic decoction : powerful insect repellent and pesticide to be sprayed 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 more valid to counter the dangerous whitefly.

Remedies against whitefly

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

The whitefly is really resistant, so much so that it is able to survive even outside greenhouses during the winter season and then begin 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 desiccation , as well as honeydew with consequent mold formation. However, there are several remedies you can use to combat whitefly , including:

  • Chromotropic adhesive traps : in particular those of a yellow colour , capable of attracting the fly and trapping it on the adhesive surface;
  • Natural insecticides : Neem oil, Pyrethrum, sulfur powder, infusion of garlic and chilli pepper are all biological remedies to fight the white fly;
  • Natural Predators : Insects such as blood snares, 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;
  • Cultivation techniques : Avoiding wetting the leaves, maintaining good ventilation, removing infected leaves, protecting plants with mesh netting and using mulches are all methods that will help you limit the spread of whiteflies.

For an effective fight against whitefly, our advice is to use - if necessary - the combination of several 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 and 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 and vegetable, flower and fruit plants. 

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

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

  • Chromotropic sticky traps : particularly those against thrips which are blue or yellow in colour . A great way to spot early signs of infestation;
  • Antagonist predatory insects : especially ladybirds, Orius Laevigatus, Amblyseius cucumeris and similar, particularly fond of these parasites;
  • Biological control : in addition to the beneficial insects, the entomopathogenic nematodes (in particular the Steinenernema feltiae) are also very useful , microorganisms which parasitize the larvae of the thrips, preventing their development into an adult form;
  • Cultivation techniques: in particular, the indoor cultivation environment must be kept clean, as well as all the equipment used for cultivation must be disinfected daily;
  • Natural insecticide 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 get rid of 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 expand your knowledge on the fight against this annoying insect.

Remedies against the red spider mite

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

The aggression of this pest manifests itself with rather evident symptoms, such as: depigmentation and burns on the leaves, desiccation , necrosis and translucent spots.

Natural remedies to fight the red spider mite should be used above all with a view to prevention . These are in particular:

  • neem oil;
  • Potassium soap or lemongrass;
  • Pyrethrum-based products (such as Spidermite Control );
  • Decoction of garlic and hot pepper;
  • Avid natural predators of this mite (such as Amblyseius californicus and Phytoseiulus persimilis species ).

Would you like to know more? Then read our article: "Red spider mite: 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 manifests itself visually with abnormal development of leaves and stems, decreased plant growth , leaf necrosis , drastic decrease of pistils and flowers .

How do you get rid of these parasites? 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 garlic cooking 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 not very humid, eliminate infected leaves and substrate, disinfect the entire cultivation area and tools in case of infestation.

We advise you to deepen 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 can find for sale on Grow Shop Italia .

What are the best natural insecticides for 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 attack by aphids, lice and other sucking insects.
  2. Kanaplant defense 2 : natural acaricide composed of an extract of thyme 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 moulds, fungi and hate. 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 and sodium-free product that you can dilute in water. It is sprayed on the leaves to mechanically remove and destroy the eggs and insects present;
  6. Propolis : this resinous substance produced by bees is widely used in organic farming as a powerful antiparasitic with bactericidal and antiviral action. When added to copper sulphate, it increases the immune defenses of plants;
  7. Pyrethrum : all pyretin- based productshave proven to be very effective in the fight against various types of insects. However, it is not selective and can also accidentally kill 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 dust : a micronized rock powder preparation that provides essential trace elements and micronutrients for 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 the products you can use are many more. It is essential to know that if used without information and improperly they can damage crops. 

Are you looking for natural remedies for houseplants 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 growing.

If you have any questions 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.