Nontoxic Garden Insecticide Using Fels-Naptha Soap

[Charlie]

The new Mother Earth News just arrived and one article had a recipe for a safe insecticide. I gotta try this as soon as I can find the soap, locally if possible. I found it at the manufacturer's site. Dial.

Recipe and instructions:

Shave one-quarter bar Fels-Naptha soap (about 1 inch) into 1 quart heated water and stir until dissolved, This is your concentrate.

Put 1 teaspoon concentrate per quart into sprayer.

This insecticidal soap is a contact poison, spray directly on the little bastids, in the home, garden, orchard, etc. For additional killing power, add, 1/4 Cup rubbing alcohol per quart.

Care Charlie

[Kay Lancaster]

Expect leaf burn on at least some species, and do not apply at high temps. That's pretty much true of any soap or detergent spray.

Do they still put naphtha in Fels?

Kay

[Charlie]

"Contains No Naphthalene", according to the label.

I found it at the HyVee today, couldn't believe it. 93 cents per bar.

Going to mix a batch tonite and will report results soon.

Care Charlie

[Kay Lancaster]

["Followup-To:" header set to rec.gardens.]

Naphtha is not naphthalene. You may be old enough to remember cigarette lighter fluid... that's one of the naphthas (a name given to several highly volatile and flammable hydrocarbon mixtures). Naphthalene is mothballs, two fused benzene rings. Nasty stuff.

Anyhow, I chased it down in the Household Products Database... it lists Stoddard Solvent, aka one of the naphthas

I found it at the HyVee today, couldn't believe it. 93 cents per bar. >

You might want to compare with something like plain soap like Ivory and dilute alcohol sprays, as well as a few dish detergents. California Extension Service (I believe) in the late 80's did a series of comparisons of efficacy and leaf damage on hort crops using Safer soap, Hiway soap, and several other things. Winner was Ivory dish detergent, diluted. Don't remember the reference... do remember the winner. ;-)

Kay

[jangchub]

Why not just hose insects off with a very strong spray or use Dr. Bonners peppermint soap?