The effect of the spray will last you a few days and then you need to reapply. To use the cayenne spray you created, you need to spray it on all the parts of the plants that are been attacked by pests and animals. I’ve researched ways on how to use the cayenne pepper on your plants and if there are any alternatives. I did some research and found out if cayenne pepper is harmful or not. Between these two things, I get so few mosquitoes each year. Several times Pat has “used homemade habanero spray to keep rabbits off my newly emerging legumes. If it rains in your garden, the spray will get washed away and you need to reapply immediately. I was told that cayenne pepper is a good option to keep cats away from my plants. You can poison them (slow painful death) or shoot them (quicker death) or trap them and kill them or trap them and remove them. And Xanda, keep in mind that Colorado and New Mexico have drier climates with lower rainfall and scant humidity ~ therefore hot pepper sprays would linger longer on the plants undiluted and demonstrate more effectiveness in dry regions. Make sure to keep children and pets away from the garden when you’re using this method. If you’re spraying the cayenne pepper on your vegetable plants, make sure to wash the leaves or vegetables well after the harvest. Gophers are also known as woodchucks, groundhogs, whistlepigs, or as my 5 year old neighbor calls them BFG’s (big fat groundhogs). You can find all of the information if you keep reading below. I have not tried bug spray made with mouth wash, epsom salt or stale beer. Hot pepper spray should be applied in the evening so it has all night to dry before the suns rays hit the plant in the morning. After 24 hours, you can use a sieve to remove the pepper pieces or flakes from the mixture. However I have always applied early ~ usually after the first sign of predation on my legumes.”. It seems to deter squirrels and rabbits better than deer. It will irritate their nose, throat, and skin if they come in contact with the pepper. Where I want standing water, such as rain barrels, I either employ mosquito fish (article here: http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1531223/fish-for-rain-barrels) or I use Mosquito Dunks, which you can buy at Lowes, HomeDepot or Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Mosquito-Dunks-102-12-Killer-Pack/dp/B00LET25AE/ref=sr_1_3?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1501542834&sr=1-3&keywords=mosquito+dunks). Extra material can be stored in a jar in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. There is a zero hour re-entry after spraying hot pepper. Furry critters, like squirrels, rabbits, and deer don’t appreciate the spicy hot flavor of cayenne peppers, so they’re less apt to dine on your plants after taking a taste. Hot pepper spray should be applied in the evening so it has all night to dry before the suns rays hit the plant in the morning. Cayenne pepper will not burn your plants. Even though hot pepper wax washes off easily with warm water, some plants ~ like lettuce ~ may wilt when washed with warm water. Greetings, can i use hot pepper spray on roots in hydroponic garden? Meredith McKissick of Sweet Earth Flower Farm (and OGS Director) had positive feedback: “I use hot pepper wax as a deterrent for leafhoppers. Spray the entire plant, paying special attention to the undersides of leaves. Cayenne pepper also acts as a natural insecticide and protects your plants from pests like spider mites and lace bugs. Asheville, NC 28816, Organic Growers School | Providing Organic Education to the Southern Appalachians Since 1993 | Google+. Cayenne pepper can hurt earthworms because it burns their skin and membranes just like in humans. Using the Scoville Units indicated above ~ I would conclude that the hotter the pepper used, the more effective the spray is liable to be. Strain (through cheesecloth, coffee filter, paper towel). Peppers are rated by the Scoville Heat Index ~. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Remember to use rubber gloves and caution when handling hot peppers (see above). Hi Ronnie G. It works so good you would think I spray chemicals to get rid of them. Some people can’t imagine enduring a meal without the spiciness of hot peppers. Hot pepper sauces like Tabasco® inspire legions of loyal followers, and hot pepper fanatics are always searching for the latest pepper with the hottest burn. You say it is OK to substitute cayenne pepper, but don’t say how much? Speaking from experience, even something as relatively mild as Tabasco® will volatize in the steam and get in your eyes. If this is not effective do you have a concoction that is. To make the spray you can either use fresh cayenne peppers from your garden or store. Dilute with additional water and spray on plants in the evening (using caution at all times when handling the material and during sprayer clean-up). You can use the cayenne pepper powder or spray to get rid of insects from the plants. This will give the mixture the most potency when used as a spray to deter pests and animals. You can use this property of the cayenne pepper to remove pests from your garden. Ruth Gonzalez is a former market farmer, gardener, and local food advocate who wants to see organic farms proliferate and organic gardens in every yard. This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. Where there's a garden, there's bound to be squirrels, at least some of the time. How to Dust Plants With Cayenne Pepper for a Squirrel Repellent. We also mix in a planting of ornamental hot peppers in our flowerbeds. It only deters animals that would attempt to go near the plants or eat them. I have personally witnessed them destroy all my apples before in a drought when they most likely needed moisture in the apple. If you are using Hot Pepper Wax, the cool evening temperatures will allow the wax to harden on the plant overnight (and become transparent.) Homemade Hot Pepper Spray Recipe: After hunting for standing water, that helps eliminate lots of mosquitoes. Mix 2 teaspoons of biodegradable vegetable oil into this mixture. Remember that hot pepper spray will not protect new growth, and can also be harmful to beneficial insects. It is here where smaller pests love to hang out. From there I try to make my farm bat friendly. Hot pepper spray is considered a deterrent to insects and mammals, rather than an insecticide. But you should not add the cayenne pepper to your compost pile or worm bin for the same reason. Homemade hot pepper spray works great against cucumber beetles. But, if the squirrels are without water in a summer drought, or extremely hungry, you can forget it. It is also found to be toxic to some insects like spider mites and lace bugs as it damages their nervous system. If the leaves don’t suffer from any negative effects, you can continue using the spray on the entire plant. I go around the farm and the homestead and dump over anything that could be holding water like tarps, tires, plastic or metal containers, bird baths,e tc. Diatomaceous earth (mentioned above) is harvested from the earth and effective against insects because it is abrasive and causes them to dehydrate. Cayenne peppers are a wonderful, natural option for repelling insects and animals in your garden. If you don’t wear gloves, the peppers will burn your hands. Let it stay in the pan for 24 hours. I leave the lid on the blender for at least 15 minutes to be sure no habanero is breathed in by anyone. Contact Us The main ingredient in cayenne peppers is capsaicin that irritates the skin and taste buds of animals. Children can get the cayenne pepper on their skin or in their eyes and have a reaction. You could even say that (Michael Pollan style) as the hot pepper plant evolved, it favored its heat-producing qualities as a protection for its seed from mammals. After making the solution and spraying the plants we checked on them a few hours later and all the plants we sprayed (minus the pepper plants) were perked up way more than we've ever seen them. The best way to use cayenne pepper to deter animals is to make a spray and apply it to your plants. by Ruth Gonzalez | Aug 20, 2011 | Organic Home Growing | 10 comments. I strain it and then spray it with enough water to effect coverage. Let stand one hour. How often to spray: Reports differed substantially on this question ~ from repeat after rain, dew, or heavy humidity; to repeat every few days; to repeat in 7 to 10 days; to lasts up to 30 days.