We’re so grateful for our gardening community, who shared their top hacks for creating natural fertilizers and pest control solutions in response to our eco-friendly DIY garden hacks contest. We’ve gone through the submissions and pulled the top 10 eco-friendly tips to keep your garden healthy and pest-free. 

  1. Compost Tea: Brew compost tea using your homemade compost. This liquid fertilizer is packed with nutrients and beneficial microbes that help your plants thrive.

  2. Garlic Spray for Pest Control: Make a natural pest deterrent by blending garlic with water. Spray this mixture on your plants to repel insects without harmful chemicals.

  3. DIY Neem Oil Spray: Create a neem oil spray to control pests and diseases. Mix neem oil with water and a few drops of dish soap, then spray it on affected plants.

  4. Baking Soda Fungicide: Use baking soda as a natural fungicide. Mix it with water and a bit of dish soap to create a spray that helps prevent fungal diseases on plants.

  5. Vinegar Weed Killer: Spray undiluted white vinegar on weeds to kill them. This natural herbicide is effective and safe for the environment.

  6. Homemade Fish Emulsion Fertilizer: Create a fish emulsion fertilizer using leftover fish scraps. Blend the scraps with water and let the mixture ferment for a few weeks before using it to fertilize your plants.

  7. DIY Citrus Rind Pest Repellent: Use citrus rinds to deter pests. Scatter orange, lemon, or lime peels around your garden to repel insects like aphids and ants with their strong scent.

  8. Chrysanthemum Spray for Insect Control: Make an insecticidal spray using chrysanthemums. Boil the flowers to extract pyrethrin, a natural insecticide, and use the cooled liquid to spray on plants to control pests like aphids, spider mites, and caterpillars.

  9. Companion Planting for Pest Control: Practice companion planting to naturally deter pests. For example, plant marigolds with tomatoes to repel nematodes and basil with peppers to ward off aphids.

  10. Diatomaceous Earth for Pest Control: Sprinkle food-grade diatomaceous earth around your plants to deter pests. This natural powder is abrasive to insects and helps keep them at bay without harming your plants. 

Want to read more eco-friendly hack submissions? Check out our two blogs below based off user submissions: 

Top 10 Eco-Friendly DIY Garden Hacks – Reusing Materials

Top 10 Eco-Friendly DIY Garden Hacks — Water Conservation

All these eco-friendly hacks were submitted by our wonderful community are we hope they will inspire you to make your garden more sustainable. Try them out and share your own tips with us.