Insecticidal soap: clearing up the confusion about dish soap

[@adriennebeck6650]

I have been making my own soap for years and really appreciated your explanation for people about the difference between soap and detergent. All soaps are now made as "super fatted". Back in the day, when people had to make their own lye from wood ash, the strength varied. With the advent of commercial lye, the strength is constant, so soap is made with a small percent (usually 5%) of extra fats to ensure that all the lye chemically reacts, and is therefore used up. This way there is no caustic lye left which can cause chemical burns. Commercial products are not allowed to use the word "soap" on their labels if they are a detergent. Potassium hydroxide makes liquid soap, sodium hydroxide makes bar soap. Bar soap could be grated and dissolved in hot water. It would be best to avoid scented soaps, most essential oils are unsafe for cats and would deter the helpful insects. I hope this is helpful to people, I will get off my soap box now!

[@eliandkate]

Soap box…… 😂😂😂😂

[@niallgardens]

Super-useful video! 👍 I think you’ve broken down a lot of stuff that people aren’t aware of and it’ll really help in their gardens. Now... I’m off to fill up my spray bottle with soapy water to take on my aphids! 😃

[@eliandkate]

Go get em aphids!!!!

[@eliandkate]

I think we are all starting to see the pests come out (downside of the lovely weather). So this is the first video to talk about how we can deal with pests safely. So go on, who else is hammered by aphids this week?

[@mikewood8680]

Traditional vs natural is a perfect descriptor. 😍

[@eliandkate]

It is one of those things, we see this type of misunderstanding a lot, so always good to clarify. Don't get me started kn what permaculture actually means 😂😂😂😂😂

[@devihudetz6567]

I normaly use red onion skins that I soaked in the water for 24hrs. It works excellenty in getting rid of pests in a natural way and also for liquid fertilizer

[@janicejurgensen2122]

Thank you for that!

[@dotdotsy2440]

How does it work? Do you water your plants with it or use it as a spray on foliage?

[@mzundastud07]

Great video as always! Loved the bloopers at the end! 🤣 those are some mouthfuls of words for sure! Look forward to the rest of this mini series! ☺️👌🏼

[@eliandkate]

Glad you enjoyed! I recorded another one today that I hadn't planned - so bonus!!!!

[@mzundastud07]

The Kitchen Garden with Eli & Kate the more the merrier! 😁👍🏼

[@JBNat]

Thankyou for this video Eli! Very useful and as others have said, I think you've helped break down a lot of common misconceptions about soapy water sprays!

[@eliandkate]

You're welcome JB. Glad to was useful.

[@dotdotsy2440]

I came across your video while looking for diy horticultural soap recipe for houseplants. I watched it and was going to write a lengthy comment but I decided to keep it short instead: I love you!!!! 😂

[@eliandkate]

😂😂😂😂 I dread to think what the lengthy comment would be but you did give me a chuckle

[@ronaldandsusanshaws-growing]

Hi Eli and Kate, a very interesting video, I have used washing up liquid without knowing all this stuff so, Thank you for this info, Take care and stay safe.

[@eliandkate]

I was exactly the same Ronald. Hence I thought it might be useful for other folks. I started off with washing up liquid too a few years ago.

[@Successfully_Unemployed1520]

Great video. I have learned so much on Utube. Thank you to all who contribute and thank you Utube.

[@slairdandraful]

Thank you, great yo hear a Scottish gardener on here. So far today in Forth there has been sun, high winds, monsoon style rain and then sun.

[@eliandkate]

Sounds like we have the same weather then. I enjoyed about ten minutes of warm and slightly blowy this morning and then bam, rain and wind.

[@matthewfitzsimmons7355]

The “natural” comment 👏👌 soo true

[@eliandkate]

I blame social media

[@ladycryptik]

Very helpful and thorough video! Thank you so much. I used a mixture of diluted hydrogen peroxide and dish soap on a watermelon peperomia (an indoor plant which is apparently very sensitive) to get rid of spider mites. The next day, the plant was brown because the hydrogen peroxide burned the leaves, and the dish soap probably weakened the plant. So, I'm going to go out and purchase some pure soap so I can hopefully effectively treat my other watermelon peperomias with just pure soap and water! Thanks a bunch :)

[@eliandkate]

I would whole heartedly recommend testing it on a few leave first just to be sure you have the amounts right for that plant :) Dont want to lose another :)

[@ladycryptik]

@@eliandkate Yes! I will be doing that too. Thanks so much for the great video!

[@lizfahey8779]

Thanks for information regarding modern soaps and washing up liquids, very useful.

[@eliandkate]

Glad it was helpful Liz!

[@colinironfield]

Thanks for this video Eli, I’ve always been confused over all the different sprays and solutions that you can make or buy, feel like after watching this I’m gonna go bug hunting with my new natural soapy spray mix, looking forward to the neem oil video. As always another informative video, keep em coming

[@eliandkate]

thanks Colin, and yup. I felt the exact same way. It can be so confusing but everyone who offers advice does it because they care and want to help, so at least if we remember that. :) Unfortunately the whole dish soap solution thing is now hardwired into our behaviour, especially for folk who have been lucky enough to not have had any detrimental effects. I'm glad this was useful though. Now go out there and battle those bugs.

[@kimosborne3454]

Thank you so much for doing this video as a fellow dyslexic their is no way I could read them labels, very impressed you did so well

[@eliandkate]

Glad it was useful Kim... the out takes are hilarious 😂

[@Jesus_Resurrection_and_Life]

Super helpful 🌱🌸🌱 Thanks so much 🌱🌸🌱 Great point at 06:15 about natural covering on plants that protect them, and how detergent could affect that, sorry you explained it much better than me lol. I’m at a loss and quite tired got black spot on 4 Roses, one of them my late Mum’s and I’ve just soaked a bar of simple soap in a bucket of water overnight to make homemade soap solution, but worried about stripping the plant of its natural defences now. . . Will watch rest of video, sorry I’m also,putting out my washing on the line, need to focus! Lol. Have a lovely rest of the summer 🌼🌻🌼🌻🌼🌻🌼🌻🌼

[@JasonECI]

Thanks for the very informative video, I like it, and I also like the B reel very much!

[@eliandkate]

Glad it was useful Jason

[@FunAndSmooth]

Thank you, really wish I could see this video before I damaged all my orchid leaves by using washing up liquid

[@eliandkate]

Oh no. Hopefully just some leaves and the plants are ok?

[@FunAndSmooth]

@@eliandkate Thanks Eli. Yes, plants are still alive, root systems are fine, only leaves, all my Zygopetalum and Oncidium have been damaged seriously, all leaves are marked, spotted, some of them turned yellow completely and fell off, Phalaenopsis were not as bad, some leaves were marked and softened, what a lesson!

[@eliandkate]

got my fingers crossed they make a full recovery

[@donnastevens8832]

I think I'll just stick to squishing the wee buggers .... much more therapeutic ... and definitely organic, pet safe and safe for other beneficial insects.

[@eliandkate]

😂😂😂😂 Therapeutic Says heaps about you 😂😂😂😂😂

[@Paul-cj1wb]

Pure castile soaps are the best to use because they're made from plant oils and not fatty acids and have no chemicals. Adding a tiny bit of peppermint oils along with it will work on soft body insects if caught before the infestation is not full blown, as it seems to irritate them and also helps mask the plant odors that attract unwanted insects. Using castile soap with pure, cold pressed neem oil will be a better solution for larger infections if you blast most of the aphids off with blasts of spay water. Making sure the soil is coated will kill those that have been knocked off and any possible eggs in the soil.

[@AlvinMcManus]

Love your cats dear.

[@debbiewales]

Brilliant video - so helpful thank you

[@eliandkate]

So glad! Such a complicated topic but doesn't do any harm to have all the info 😀

[@gudi361]

Thanks for explaining!

[@eliandkate]

No probs Gudrun, glad the extra info was useul

[@Dawn_Grows_Veg]

Hi Eli, went back and found this video, so helpful and also gave myself a pat on the back for when you were looking up the ingredients for your traditional soap, I was shouting "Sodium hydroxide and fat" - my chemistry lessons from 40 years ago came flooding back !! What I didn't know was potassium hydroxide is gentler. I have been using Horticultural soap solution on my Citrus plants early in the season due to an early infestation in my greenhouse as I was putting them out after my last frost this spring. It was amazing, worked fantastically well. My lime tree is thriving now. Should have got to my broad beans quicker with it as the blackfly did get a strong footing despite nipping out the tops. I will try a touch of Neem oil in the solution as well for my brassicas. Great video thanks 🙂 glad I found this even it is is 3 years late 😂

[@eliandkate]

oh I'm impressed you can remember chemistry from school!!!!!!!!

[@blakehendrix641]

Great advice, thanks! I just subscribed! Do you have any advice on dealing with mosquitoes? I have a large lawn and I’d like to avoid spraying major chemicals but so far nothing else has worked!

[@eliandkate]

Hey Blake, I'm afraid I'm not the best person for advice. Mosquitos aren't something we have an issue with in Scotland. It's maybe one to ask in the Facebook community? There are folk there from all over. 🙂

[@chicosgarden]

Thanks for the tips!

[@eliandkate]

You bet!

[@psithurismique]

1:07 Love that clock on your shelf!!! So cute! Where did you buy it from?

[@eliandkate]

Oh.... Kate bought if about 15 years ago from a wee shop in edinburgh. We reckon you can get them online though.

[@psithurismique]

@@eliandkate That's a great buy! I'll see if I can find one online. Thank you!

[@brooksidesue17]

Thank you for explaining how detergent affects plants vs soap. Being in Canada, the soap you recommend is not available here, can you recommend something I can purchase in Canada or via Amazon in Canada?

[@eliandkate]

Sorry Susan but I can't recommend anything from Canada I'm afraid as I don't know any of your products. Maybe look out for anything labeled horticultural soap? Or ask your local gardening group?

[@earisu]

You can use Castille soap, so look for Dr Bronners. :) Same ingredients.

[@lsteiner]

@@earisu Dr. Bronner's works well for so many things. I will be trying it for aphids. Here in Vancouver it is available in many stores.

[@lsteiner]

@@eliandkate Dr. Bronner's works well for so many things. I will be trying it for aphids. Here in Vancouver it is available in many stores.

[@Copyright-di4we]

Great video. Very informative. I have a doubt though, since I'm making my own soap from scratch using wood ash and vegetable oil. Is it better to use a more oily soap, or a more caustic one? Any problems with each of those?

[@eliandkate]

Ive never made my own soap so not 100% sure but it's the fats that are the active ingredient so maybe an oily one?

[@Copyright-di4we]

@@eliandkate thanks for the response. I actually think the active ingredient is a bond between the fatty acids and the hydroxide. Either way, a bit of excess oil probably won't harm the plant, right? Some leftover lye could probably damage the plant a bit anyway i think. I'm still not sure how much soap I should use since I'm spraying about 150 liters at a time. Any ideas?

[@eliandkate]

150 litres? Hmmm to be honest, i'm maybe not the best person to ask for that amount. I wouldn't be using something like a soap spray in those quantities. Once you scale up like that, I'd say there would be highly likely negative effects. These "natural remedies" we're only ever intended for small scale use.

[@Copyright-di4we]

@@eliandkate I'm only going to use it if I ever see aphids on my trees. Besides, the soap I'm making is pretty much edible, let alone biodegradable. I'll probably experiment with different concentrations and see what happens. Thanks again for the response.

[@pauloroarty1799]

Thank you for that it was very interesting and I'll give it a go. Cheers

[@eliandkate]

glad it was enjoyable

[@paulclare6589]

what do you think about using baby Landry detergent, would that be pretty mild ?

[@TheWacoKid1963]

Straight to the point, ya bugger, love it lol

[@eliandkate]

🤣🤣🤣🤣 First time anyone's ever accused me of getting straight to the point

[@hevchip741]

I always used soapy water till i found out it messes with the bees and nectar as well as ladybirds. I still use it in the greenhouse though.

[@alisonagboola8598]

Where did you get your traditional liquid soap from?

[@eliandkate]

Hey Alison, I mostly get things online.... but if you check the link in the description of the videos it'll show you the stuff I have at least

[@miguelangelsimonfernandez5498]

You should be looking for traditionally made soap made with potassium hydroxide and used cooking oil instead of the more common sodium hydroxide. Using filtered and cleaned cooking oil is better than clean and pure because, having been broken by heat, the long acids that make up cooking oils are much shorter and make better foam/lather. If you use a pure olive oil, for example, the soap does not spread so well. Potassium salts are beneficial and sold as fertilizer while sodium chloride and other salts actually kill plants

[@dtn876]

Can you use the solution many times or do you need to make a fresh mix every time?

[@eliandkate]

Not every time but it will degrade. Especially with heat or sun

[@dtn876]

@@eliandkate Would it be ok for a month or so?

[@eliandkate]

@dtn876 Linda depends on how you store it I’d say just keep an eye and you can always make more if you think you need to

[@dtn876]

@@eliandkate Ok great thank you

[@NigelSavage]

any experience with naturally occuring saponin derived from say horse chestnut? can't get more natural than that, although saponin isnt a triglyceride type fat

[@eliandkate]

Sorry no.

[@jennyturner2827]

Nigel Savage....Excuse me...but...you sound very knowledgeable. Myself and many others are trying to cure a disease involving fungus of some type. I am looking for sources of Pottasium Salts with Fatty Acids. Natural would be the best of course. I have found Murphy's Oil Soap for external use so far. I'm just a regular person that needs some help. Will you tell me what you know about this? Thank you so much!

[@karenshields1878]

Thanks for the info

[@sweetiemoosweetiemoo5983]

Grasshoppers ate up my broccolI and cauliflower leaves, do this insecticidal soup and neem oil work?

[@eliandkate]

No I just make random videos for no reason 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 They both work when used correctly. Insecticidal soap sprayed directly onto soft bodied pests (not randomly sprayed on the plant) and neem oil for chewing insects. Sprayed on the plant. Neither are instant like a chemical pesticide, they work by disrupting the natural cycles.

[@bwolf0003]

I had to watch this video again--went to the greenhouse today and found my ranunculus plants covered in aphids ....they just randomly appear. I've been using the spray--but need to keep up on it and monitor better I guess.

[@eliandkate]

Booooo! Yeah garden pests are one of those things, they never go away entirely. It’s about keeping the numbers down best you can.

[@jeanlaikan8400]

Some KZbinrs also recommend adding oil. Is that really necessary? I find it produces a film of oil on the leaves that stays a long time. As for soap, there is a French bar soap called Savon de Marseille which has no additives like perfumes, coloring stuff or preservatives. I grate it finely & dissolve it in warm water

[@eliandkate]

Hey Jean, yes you will see a lot of folk commenting on these videos telling me about using oil. The short answer is no, you don't need to add oil to your soap sprays. Oil does a different thing, and I have spoken about how oil works in the neem oil video, but basically oil and soap spray do the same thing with soft bodied insects (as its the oil or fat in the soap that does the job). However some people use scented oils to discourage insects. To be honest, I wouldn't add oil, because with the soap spray you are already adding a foreign substance to the plant, I don't think it's a good idea to add oil as well if it isn't necessary. After all you don't want to stress the plats too much.

[@jeanlaikan8400]

@@eliandkate Your explication is total right. No need to add oil. Thanks

[@rhysgreen5115]

Love this

[@themooreclan1220]

have you used or have heard about using vingar and lemon in water to control aphids, i heard it somewhere forgot if it was for aphids or some other thing?

[@eliandkate]

yeah I've heard so many of these miracle cure alls :D To be honest, in my experience most of them aren't very effective

[@themooreclan1220]

@@eliandkate cool, i'll tell my friend about the soup spray, he has planted green beans and they are covered, my Feijoa tree right next to his plants, the aphids wont touch it, i dont use anything on it which i found weird

[@eliandkate]

yeah it's all down to the plant. Some aphids love some they aren't bothered by. usually they go for plants with really soft new growth and avoid things with tough woody stems or waxy leaves. Just one of those things. in my garden, aquilegia get the worst hit followed by the hydrangea

[@joysteevansequeira1827]

How we can amounts vinger and lemons and water?

[@rhysgreen5115]

carnt wait for next week

[@Abdullah_Al_Saud]

Is a little mild shampoo water spray okay for a Lemon tree?

[@eliandkate]

That's something you'd have to make a decision on. If it's not actually soap then you have to ask if it will actually do the job as it's the particular oils in soap that kill the aphids. And you'd have to make the call on the ingredients in your shampoo and if they may have unwanted consequences.

[@Abdullah_Al_Saud]

@@eliandkate & what do you mean by "if they may have unwanted consequences." ? Especially unwanted consequences.

[@eliandkate]

I mean could it cause problems for plants, wildlife etc. I would randomly spray something in my garden without checking out what's in it and deciding if it was safe

[@elainemetcalfe2065]

I have faith in nature bar of soap could I use that? And how?

[@eliandkate]

Sorry Elaine, but I can only comment on things I personally use, otherwise I could give you a bum steer and our plants are just to important for that kind of risk :D

[@loesje1234]

so what soap should i use? you have a few links? I am confused actually

[@eliandkate]

I only recommend the one I use kit.co/eliappd/in-the-garden

[@rhysgreen5115]

could you use essential oil for repelling aphids i.e humidifier or spray etc

[@eliandkate]

Hmmm to be honest Rhys, Im not sure how well that would work. None of the studies I looked at mentioned this having a quantifiable effect, so you may find it may work to an extent, depending on how strong the scent is and how much it is present, but might be limited. I guess your best way to go would be to try it over a short period and see if you get the results you are after.

[@davidmoynihan5648]

Can someone help?? I've sprayed a soap mixture with water on my willow trees. It was dish soap 😢 my leaves have gone black and I'm distraught. Have I killed my willow? It is relatively well established and in a large planter. I've watered heavily a couple of hours after. Will it survive. Need honest help from experienced gardeners. I officially hate Aphids now 😢

[@eliandkate]

Oh David 😭 Hopefully, if it’s an established tree and all you’ve done is burn the leaves then it will recover. Keep an eye on it and watch for new growth. It all depends on the extent of the damage. I’d be tempted to give the tree a good spray down to get rid of / dilute the soap solution you used. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you.

[@davidmoynihan5648]

@eliandkate thank you. And yes thankfully it has recovered 😀

[@eliandkate]

Wooohooooo

[@robmorris87]

I've got a great recipe for aphid soup

[@marydiscuillo142]

Night pollinators are important too.......

[@MrJimmuck]

I got rid of last years wee beasties really easily ... I used the weed burner. Worked great!! Got any spare plants?? lol

[@eliandkate]

😂😂😂😂

[@TJ-bn2cn]

For me I just buy horticultural soap, then I don’t have to worry, especially about butterflies and bees.

[@elainemetcalfe2065]

I’m so new to plants!! Need to know exactly which one to make up the soap water? They all sound dodgy 😂 shall I try and buy the pure soap? I have the neem oil but don’t know what to do? I have black flies on my indoor and outdoor plants especially my bobble bush (some kind of hydrangeas) green fly on my roses too!! They are killing the beauty of my plants 😡 but my new houseplant hobby is very worrying because I actually love them and there are black flies around them? I need help quickly please 😊 worried 😟 plant mum!!!

[@eliandkate]

I absolutely understand the plant mum terror :D Obviously I can't recommend something if I haven't used it but if you check out the description in all my videos, you'll see a link to a page that has all the stuff I use on there. You don't have to buy form those links but it at least lets you see the things I personally use

[@ilovesesshomarusama716]

I need help bad. I washed my leaves with dawn dish soap and water literally washed all the soap off within seconds and the leaves that got washed are looking dry and turning dark. A few died. I tried to restore the leaves oil barrier with milk and oil but I’m worried. Is there a way to recover leaves before they kill the leaves?

[@eliandkate]

Oh no! I'm afraid I can't guarantee you'll be able to save it. This is why I say to test a tiny bit first and be ready to further dilute your spray if necessary. I'm not sure why you washed your leaves, it may be this has just introduced too much of a foreign agent to the plant. When you use a soap spray, you aren't washing the plants, you are spraying kn the insects. Only the areas affected by the insects. I can only keep my fingers crossed for you. Sorry.

[@rhysgreen5115]

Could you use a soap bar

[@eliandkate]

Hey Rhys, yes you can leave a soap bar to liquify in water so that you have liquid soap. Again though, check the ingredients, just cause we call it a bar of soap doesn't mean it's pure soap. You need to make a judgement call about whatever you use.

[@rhysgreen5115]

@@eliandkate thanks

[@marydiscuillo142]

Use ladybugs and you wont risk hurting beneficial insects. And its easier--let them do the work.

[@eliandkate]

If you are lucky enough then beneficial insects are great at helping reduce or sometimes even control populations of what we think of as pests but often if you don’t have a natural colony of these insects in your garden already, even buying them won’t help. If they don’t naturally live in your garden it’s because it’s not right for them, and any you buy will leave for “greener pastures”. Unfortunately although we do see ladybirds etc in our garden, we also have the type of planting (and ants) that encourage aphids in huge numbers. Way more than a natural ecosystem can control… and remembering more than we want as gardener because we are falsely creating the planting 😀

[@marydiscuillo142]

@@eliandkate i have to disagree with you. Beneficial insects such as ladybugs, lacewings and praying mantis' that you introduce to your garden will stick around if there is food for them. Im glad your sticking to natural insecticides and understand if the infestation is bad you have to reach for sprays.. I realeased lacewings a few years ago and occ still see one on my plants. I think either way the key is checking your plants daily and looking for trouble and then getting on it quickly. Some folks spray at night but night pollinators are an important part of the echosystem. Be sure your releasing the predatory insects the correct way at the right time. Good luck with your garden. It is our small piece of heaven isnt it?

[@eliandkate]

You are of course entirely entitled to 😀

[@MrJimmuck]

.... But will it keep my hands soft and kind? ... and do the dishes well??? lol

[@eliandkate]

Apparently so... and a baby on a motorbike drives all over your kitchen

[@MrJimmuck]

@@eliandkate No more Mr Nice Baby!!

[@francesbatycki404]

Neem oil is banned in Canada.

[@eliandkate]

It’s banned as a pesticide on agricultural scales here too, but not for home gardens or beauty products

[@Copyright-di4we]

why is that?

[@RealBradMiller]

All I can find is possible kidney damage if used as medicine, and simply because of paperwork; it's not been registered as a pesticide. Hmmm!

[@CC1Andrea]

I kill all my indoor plants with soapy water, i’m so depressed😭💔💔

[@eliandkate]

Oh no! You're not the first person to over do it and you won't be the last :( Lots of folk have been in the same boat as you... chin up. Treat it as a lesson learned and come back stronger :)

[@ilovesesshomarusama716]

Luckily I haven’t sprayed the soapy water on the soil. Only the leaves are dying that got sprayed

[@eliandkate]

we'll all be watching and hoping for you :)

[@verticalgardentowers8473]

OMG, that's them on the bottom of the leaf. Disgusting!

[@MrJimmuck]

the colour of the product means its got dye/colour in ti??? No shit Sherlock .... lol .... thanks for the happy smiles

[@eliandkate]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂. are you just binge watching today instead of getting that greenhouse cleaned?

[@MrJimmuck]

@@eliandkate Errr ... ummm what gives you that idea!! I am very busy here I will have you know!! Greenhouse? What greenhouse? lol

[@eliandkate]

😂😂😂😂😂😂