Most important was their potential negative impact on the environment and our health. Over a period of 25 years, the most difficult problem I had was with the codling moth.

Just before we moved to Sanpete County, a professor at the University of Oregon discovered a solution, and at the very same time I made the same discovery. As a result of this discovery, it is now possible to raise apples and pears with less than 10 percent damage caused by the codling moth.

The moral of this story is that where there is a will, there is a solution. As a result of many wonderful people’s efforts, it is now possible to destroy almost every insect with organic pesticides.

Following are a few recipes that will make possible a garden free of most insects without the use of chemical pesticides.

Since most of the recipes for organic pesticides contain similar ingredients, I decided to take the most proven and successful organic pesticide and explain how to make and use it successfully:

Recipe #1: This recipe will make 1 liter of organic pesticide. Add 1 liter of water to a container (2 quarts) and then add 10 drops of clove oil.

(If you can’t find any clove oil, simply take one tablespoon of cloves, crush them and pour them into a cup of warm water. Let it sit for about 2 hours. Filter it and use it in lieu of the 10 drops of clove oil.)a

Now add 10 drops of pure Neem Oil (Neem Oil is the best-known pesticide). If you don’t have Neem Oil, you can use vegetable oil. Next, add 10 drops of liquid dish soap. Castile soap is best; otherwise, use Dawn. Since there are several varieties of Dawn, buy the one with the least additional ingredients. Ivory or Nature’s Promise are also excellent choices.

If you are concerned about wasps and hornets, add 10 drops of eucalyptus oil. Now, thoroughly mix and pour into your spray unit.

Before you spray all your plants, etc., you need to do a test of this solution. Spray one small limb on both sides and then watch it for two days. If there is no damage, spray your whole garden. If there is some damage – usually indicated by the edge of the leaves having burn-like marks – redo the solution, reducing the 10 drops of each ingredient to 6.

As of this date, I have never had to redo my solution, so I am hopeful you will have the same success.

You should spray in the evening after the sun has gone down. Also be sure and spray both sides of the leaves and the stems. This solution will take care of all the soft belly insects, aphids, mealy bugs, white flies, cut worms, caterpillars and lots of other pests.

The next day if you like, you can wash off the solution by lightly spraying all your plants – this will remove the soap solution.

Recipe #2: Take ½ cup of hot peppers and ½ cup of garlic cloves, cut or shred them and place them in ½ cup of warm water. Let the mixture sit in the sun for 24 hours. After the 24 hours, strain the mixture. The resulting liquid will be your pesticide.

You can add one tablespoon of dish soap (same as Recipe #1 above). Using the same method as #1 above, spray your plants thoroughly.

Recipe #3 (for grasshoppers): It would be a good idea to try #1 and #2 on grasshoppers. Also, a sure killer is to gather a pint of grasshoppers and place them in a blender with ½ cup of water and blend. You can also add garlic or hot peppers to this solution.

Add another ½ cup of water and 1 teaspoon of dish soap (see #1 above). Filter the solution and place in a sprayer and spray whatever the grasshoppers are attacking.

This method can also be used to kill squash bugs; in lieu of the grasshoppers, use squash bugs. Then spray where you see the squash bugs.

Additional ideas: Another solution to the grasshopper problem is to lay cut juniper boughs around or along the row of squash. This will tend to drive the grasshoppers away. This can also be used to protect your whole garden. We have used this with great success for years.

If you live near an open field, it would be wise to spray the nymphs that seem to abound there this time of the year. If you don’t take care of them now, you will soon have a major grasshopper problem that will be more difficult to deal with.

You can use Sevin (a chemical pesticide) as long you do not spray any area where you are raising vegetables.