What’s the best homemade pesticide for eggplant? That’s the question we’re trying to answer today. You already know that eggplants are susceptible to several different pests. But do you know how to treat and prevent them? There are many reliable ways for rid eggplant of pests. The first step is to identify the pest and their behavior to better determine how we can eliminate them. In this article, you will find information on what causes these infestations, how they affect our garden, the signs of damage, organic methods and chemicals that are safe for our environment. I have also listed the most common pests and their treatments based on research, university findings, and my own experience on growing eggplants.

Natural Pest Control For Eggplants

Aphids

Aphids are tiny, sap-sucking insects that infest many different types of plants. They are usually green or brown but can also be black, yellow or white. Aphids are most commonly found on the underside of leaves and will cause distorted growth if left untreated.

To control aphids you should use a strong stream of water from a hose to knock them off the plant and then spray them with insecticidal soap if they return within 48 hours.

Flea Beetles

Adult flea beetles are shiny black and about 1/16 inch long. They are most active in the morning, but they scatter when disturbed.

Flea beetle damage causes small holes to appear on the leaves of eggplants and tomatoes, with a few larvae feeding inside on soft tissue. The larvae drop off after feeding for several days, then pupate underground or in plant debris nearby where they can overwinter as adults.

Colorado Potato Beetles

Colorado potato beetles are the main pests that attack eggplant leaves. Adult Colorado potato beetles are yellow and black, while their larvae are red with white spots. Both adults and larvae feed on the undersides of eggplant leaves, causing them to become puckered and distorted.

To control Colorado potato beetles:

• Handpick any adults you see on the plants and crush them under your shoe or in a plastic baggie before disposing of them outside. If there are many Colorado potatoes beetles present in your garden, you may need to repeat this process several times through the season to keep populations low enough so as not to cause serious damage to your plants’ food supply.

Hornworms

If you notice a hornworm on your eggplant, you’ll want to remove it as soon as possible. The green worm is about 3 inches long and has black stripes along its body. It will consume leaves, flowers and fruit of your eggplant plant’s plants. This pest can be handpicked off the plants at any time of day or night; however, the larvae stage of this insect is nocturnal so it is best to inspect after dark when most larvae are active. You can also use Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) spray for control; this product works by injecting spores into the bodies of caterpillars which then kills them within hours if ingested by these insects while feeding on plants sprayed with Bt spray chemical mixture.. Spinosad products also work well against hornworms when sprayed directly onto foliage

Prevent Pests with Plant Selection

There are several strategies you can take to avoid insect pests when growing eggplant. The first step is to choose an eggplant variety that is resistant to the pests in your area. Different varieties have different susceptibilities, so make sure you do some research before planting.

Another useful strategy is to plant early in the season when there are fewer insects around, or even better, start your seeds indoors and transplant them into your garden once it has been set up for a month or so. This will help keep pest populations down overall and reduce the amount of time your plants are exposed during their vulnerable growth stage.

Rotating crops yearly also helps prevent build-up of natural enemies like nematodes (tiny worm-like organisms) in soil that can attack root systems over time if not disrupted by crop rotation every year or two years at minimum (the recommended rotation period). Rotating crops also allows other plants like tomatoes or onions which attract aphids away from eggplants; this reduces competition between vegetables for pollinating insects such as bees which might otherwise still be attracted towards one area instead of another!