Spring has arrived ! The heat is also coming back into fashion, bringing with it a slew of pests into the garden. During this season, when you take care of your plants, you will gradually notice the presence of small insects on the leaves. This is completely natural, but nonetheless annoying. Aphids and mealybugs are real parasites that harm plant growth. During the hot period, these insects attack the plants to feed on their sap. As a result, the leaves and flowers tend to weaken and even wither as the days go by. Fortunately, there are natural remedies to keep these nasty intruders away for good!
To eliminate these insects that are harmful to plants , it is not necessary to purchase a pesticide. You can make them at home using natural and eco-friendly ingredients. In this article, we are going to reveal to you the incredible virtues of a particular ingredient which is really effective in discouraging all these little creatures. What is this mystery ingredient? This is “Potassium soap”, also called black soap. Its strong points: it contains potassium salts of fatty acids and it is mainly used as an insecticide. Also biodegradable and without toxicity, its use will not harm you, the plants, or the environment.
Find out how just one small piece of this soap will have a radical effect against the unwanted pests that torment your plants.
How to use black soap as a pesticide?
Usually on the packaging of potassium soap itself it is written how to dilute it in water. Usually you just need to dissolve a small piece of around 10g in 500ml of water, mix and leave for a few minutes. It is better to use distilled water: water that is too hard could in fact reduce or eliminate the effectiveness of the product.
Next, use a bottle fitted with a sprayer to spray over the plant’s canopy, spraying without overdoing it.
Preferably, it is better to use it in the morning, but not during the hottest hours of the day or too high temperatures. This risks causing the product to evaporate before it takes effect.
Warning: black soap has a very high pH, it is better to use gloves when applying the product.
When to use black soap pesticide?
Potassium soap should be used both to eliminate parasitic infestations from the plant, but also to prevent them.
In spring, use it once a month to prevent the appearance of these unwanted insects.
If, on the other hand, the infestation is ongoing, use it every 3-4 days or according to the product’s instructions, until you no longer notice the presence of insects among the leaves.
Warning: if the infestation is at an advanced stage and the plant is already very weak or suffering, seek professional advice.
Say goodbye to aphids with this tip!
Potassium soap or black soap is capable of eliminating most parasites, such as aphids, mealybugs, and mites.
It also reduces the risk of leaves being affected by fungi. As a bonus, it increases the overall well-being of the plant, strengthening its leaves and allowing it to flower more quickly.
Finally, black soap does not harm bees or ladybugs which are, on the contrary, very beneficial to our plants!
