How to Protect Your Vegetable Plants from Garden Pests

Learn how to make and use simple, safe, home-made pesticides with these guides from yesterday's most popular garden books and magazines.

Garden Bug Sprayer

It is necessary that the gardener should have a hogshead set in the ground always at hand in dry weather, containing solutions made of waste tobacco, lime, soot, elder, burdock leaves, etc. A portion of these ingredients, or any other preparation that is pernicious or poisonous to insects, without injuring the plants, thrown into a hogshead kept filled up with water, if used moderately over beds of young plants in dry weather, would, in almost every case, insure a successful crop. Such liquid, however, should never be used when the sun shines; and if applied too abundantly to the leaves, there is danger, sometimes, that the leaves and stems will be destroyed.

From the 1866 book, THE AMERICAN GARDENER'S ASSISTANT

Saltpetre is pernicious to many species of insects; it is also an excellent manure, and may be used to great advantage when dissolved in the proportion of one pound to four gallons of water. This liquid, applied to plants through the rose of a watering-pot, will preserve health and vigor. Soapsuds are equally beneficial, if used occasionally in the same manner-say once a week. These remedies, applied alternately, have been known to preserve melon and cucumber-vines from the ravages of the yellow-fly, bugs, blight, etc., and to keep the plants in a thriving condition.

From the 1866 book, THE AMERICAN GARDENER'S ASSISTANT

Mealy bugs can be destroyed by syringing with soap suds and kerosene. Make the suds of home-made soap, rather strong, and add a teaspoonful of oil to a gallon of suds, mixing thoroughly before applying. Apply with a good brass syringe that will throw the material forcibly against the foliage. Use once a week, and syringe with clean water daily. This treatment will soon entirely destroy the mealy bug, one of the most tenacious of our insect pests.

From PARKS FLORAL MAGAZINE, 1893

A decoction of the Tomato plant proves a valuable insecticide. The stems and leaves are boiled in water, which, when cold, is used upon plants affected with insects; it is applied with a syringe, or plant-sprinkler. It destroys green-fly, caterpillars, &c., and leaves upon the plant an odor which prevents the attack of insects for a long time. The remedy is stated to be more effectual than fumigating and washing.

From VICKS MONTHLY MAGAZINE, 1879

This is part of an article from the book The Kitchen Garden Guide