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Flour spray

Flour, like soap, has been used as an old remedy for pest control. It has a sticky substance called 'dextrin', which is a sugar extracted from the plant starch by the action of heat. When applied as spray, dextrin adheres to the leaf surface and traps the pests until they die. It is important not to apply the filtrate during a cloudy day and/or when rain is expected.

Method 1

(Stoll, 2000: p. 189)

  • Add 2 cups of fine white flour into 5 -10 liters of water.
  • Stir well.
  • Apply on the infested plants early in the morning, during sunny weather.

    • Pests controlled

    1. Aphid
    2. Spider mite

    Method 2

    (Ellis; Bradley, 1996 p. 484)

  • Add 2 - 4 tbsp of wheat or potato or any baking flour into 4 cups of warm water.
  • Stir well.
  • Add 1 tsp of soap as sticker.
  • Stir the filtrate again prior to application.

    • Pests controlled

    1. Aphid
    2. Spider mite
    3. Thrips
    4. Whitefly

    Method 3

    (Stoll, 2000: p. 189)

  • Add 4 cups of white flour and 1/2 cup of buttermilk into 25 liters of water.
  • Stir vigorously to mix the filtrate.
  • Apply immediately on the infested plants, preferably in the morning.

    • Pests controlled

    1. Spider mite

    Standard procedures for the preparation and application of homemade extracts

    1. Use utensils for the extract preparation that are not use for your food preparation and for drinking and cooking water containers. Clean properly all the utensils every time after using them.
    2. Do not have a direct contact with the crude extract while in the process of the preparation and during the application.
    3. Make sure that you place the extract out of reach of children and house pets while leaving it overnight.
    4. Harvest all the mature and ripe fruits before extract application.
    5. Always test the extract formulation on a few infected plants first before going into large scale spraying. When adding soap as an emulsifier, use a potash-based one.
    6. Wear protective clothing while applying the extract.
    7. Wash your hands after handling the extract.



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