Insecticidal Soap

[miniedmo]

I have bought Ivory Liquid to use on my tomato plant. Could someone tell me how much per gallon I should use to control aphids? Thank you in advance!!

[daylilydude]

I just put 1 tbls in mine but thats just me please let others chime in and see what they use , I also just let it sit on there about 30 minutes and than rinse it off and i only do it in the morning and on cloudy days so as to not burn the leaves. Richard

[Mischka]

I would suggest a ratio of 1.5 teaspoons per gallon of water. Add the soap last, then gently shake or stir to avoid sudsing up your solution.

I also would suggest you use a vegetable oil derived hand dishwashing liquid (corn, soy, palm or coconut oil) versus a petroleum oil derived one like Ivory.

Palmolive is vegetable oil derived, but avoid any of the antibacterial versions.

There are also several "natural" brands that you can find in most major supermarkets. Seventh Generation makes "Free and Clear" and theres also Ecover, Citra-Dish, Method, Sun & Earth.

I personally prefer Free and Clear, but only because it's unscented and I like unscented stuff.

[Althea]

You can knock aphids off plants with a sharp spray of water.

I've seen many different proportions for making your own insecticidal soap. 1 tsp. per quart is a common recipe. Dr. Bronners is another good choice for a "real" soap, not detergent.

[miniedmo]

Thanks Richard, I had read in this forum about rinsing after you spray them. Sadly though I have to rinse mine in the evenings because of my schedule and I know this is not good either.

Mischka, this is the first I had heard about the oil in dish washing liquid. Are you saying that I should use a different soap and add the oil to it or should I just use the oil?

Thanks Althea, I have sprayed them off with the hose and they are back in a couple of days. I usally use the insecticidal soap but it is very expensive for such a little amount. I had read in here about making your own with dish washing liquid so I was wanting to give this a shot. They never mentioned mixture except for a spray bottle.

Thanks you guys!!!!

[Mischka]

Originally Posted by miniedmo

Mischka, this is the first I had heard about the oil in dish washing liquid. Are you saying that I should use a different soap and add the oil to it or should I just use the oil?

Hand dishwashing liquids are manufactured from oils through a reaction process known as saponification. Click the blue text for details.

Some are made using petroleum based oils while others are made using plant-derived oils.

I am suggesting that you choose a hand dishwashing liquid made using a plant-derived oil and not a petroleum based oil.

I am not suggesting that you use an oil itself.

There is an oil derived from the Neem tree that can be used as an insecticide. Click the blue text for details.

I have tried it and found it to be minimally effective in controlling aphids in my garden.

[miniedmo]

Thank you very much for the education. This site is great!!!

[CLa]

Looks like Dr. Bonner's is a good bet. In fact you can get it unscented by buying the 'baby mild'. Somewhat expensive, but I'll get this, then work on making some homemade soap.

[creister]

You can also buy insecticidal soap. I've found it at Lowe's, but liquid soap works just as well.

[CLa]

Well the way I see it, dish washing liquid is a bad idea, most of them at least contain some kind of perfume , unnatural scent or dyes. And if I am not mistaken, they are mostly not soap at all, but detergents. I see most insecticidal soaps claiming to be mainly the salt of a fatty acid, in short, they are just soap, which is a salt of a fatty acid. So spending more for the word insecticidal may be a waist of money. If there is any difference, I believe it may be in the making, as in some, they are created out of sodium hydroxide vs potassium hydroxide, where many of the insecticidal soaps claim to be a potassium salt of a fatty acid or some such. My father, a PhD in chemistry still thinks that the affects it will have on insects will be the same, provided it is soap, not a detergent.