We all know that taking care of your kitchen garden can be quite troublesome in the summer. That’s because this season brings with it a lot of insects, pests, and flies that can ruin your lovely plants. But, this year, the intense heat has been unprecedented and has arrived far too early. To keep your plants safe and happy, we have some really easy hacks on how to take care of your indoor plants with ingredients in your kitchen.

Read on, plant lovers.

Related: Easy Ways To Get Rid Of Pesky Fruit Flies In The Summer

1. Neem oil

Neem oil has a powerful smell and is one of the best ways to keep all bugs and insects away. All you need to do is mix three tablespoons of cold-pressed neem oil with one litre of water and two tablespoons of liquid soap. Put these ingredients in a bottle, and mix well to make your very own homemade pesticide. Spray it on your plants once a day, depending on the kind of plants you have and the level of infestation.

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2. Garlic

Garlic is a versatile vegetable that can fix several problems at home. Whether it’s adding flavour to your food, or keeping your plants safe, a little garlic can fix a lot. Take a few garlic cloves, and with a little water, blend them in a food processor. Now strain the water and add some more water, so it totals about three cups, and spray it on your plants. Since this is a natural solution, it won’t affect the taste of your edible plants.

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Related: Natural Ways to Get Rid Of Lizards From Your Homes

3. Red pepper

Spicy red pepper makes for an effective pesticide to keep bugs, beetles, and other insects away. All you need to do is combine one tablespoon of red pepper with six drops of dish soap and one litre of water. Give this mixture a good shake in a bottle, and spray it over your plants. Doing this once a week is more than enough as this solution is quite strong.

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4. Baby shampoo

Baby shampoos are very mild and act as the perfect coating to protect your plants. It helps to keep common garden insects, flies, and spiders away, but do not spray this solution on plants with a hairy or wax-like coating. Mix two tablespoons of baby shampoo with one litre of water, and spray it on your plants. Let the solution stay on your plants for a few hours and then gently spray them with normal water to rinse.

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Related: Tired Of Ants Crawling Into Everything You Own? This Homemade Spray Will Do The Trick

5. Vegetable oil

This is one of the quickest and easiest ways to get rid of those pesky bugs and flies. All you need is a little oil, dish soap, and water to make your own homemade oil spray. Take one cup of vegetable oil, one tablespoon of dish soap, and one litre of water, and mix it all together. Use this spray on your plants once a week to get rid of pests.

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6. Baking soda

Baking soda is an excellent remedy to protect your plants from fungus and pests. A simple baking soda spray can save your plants from rotting away due to fungus. All you need is four teaspoons of baking soda, one tablespoon of mild soap, and one litre of water. Mix all the ingredients together, and spray on the affected plants.

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7. Banana peel

Bananas are a rich source of nutrients, not just for us humans but for plants as well. And they also help in keeping away those nasty bugs and insects. You just need to chop a banana peel well and place it around the stem of the plant just under the soil line. Placing the peel in the soil will add nutrients to the soil and keep the pests away.

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8. Foil paper

Foil paper is a clever trick to keep insects away from your plants. Since a lot of insects like hanging around under the leaves, this trick works like a charm. Just place a foil paper at the base of your plants, and relax. The sunlight reflecting on the paper will keep the bugs away. All you need to do is keep a check on the direction of your plant since too much sunlight can burn it.

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Creating your own kitchen garden, and using those plants regularly, is another level of joy. If you’re planning to start one now, but don’t know where to begin, here are some of the easiest herbs to grow in your garden. And you can even do this in small spaces, like a window sill.

Happy gardening!