You can find hot pepper flakes at most grocery stores in the spice aisle, or you can order packets of the flakes online.
Your eyes may start to water if there’s a lot of steam rising from the pot. Try to keep your face away from the steam, and leave the pot partially covered while you stir.
Some gardeners let their mixture sit for up to 48 hours for a very potent infusion. However, this may not be necessary if you’re only planning to use the spray in your garden.
Since you’re going to be spraying the liquid, you don’t want the hot peppers suspended in the water. They can clog the spray bottle, making your spray less effective.
Try using a castile soap, which is biodegradable and safe for outdoor use. It won’t harm your plants or soil, but is powerful enough to add some sticking power to the spray.
If you get some liquid on your hands as you’re pouring it into the bottle, avoid touching your face, and immediately wash your hands to prevent irritation.
If you’re not sure how sensitive plants will react to the spray, test a small area of a leaf first. Wait four days and if the plant doesn’t react, you should be able to safely use the spray. Avoid plants, like ivy, ferns, succulents, palms, some types of tomatoes, and azaleas, which are known to be sensitive to insecticides and pesticides. Never apply the spray in the middle of the day because the heat from the sun can cause the spray to “bake” the leaves and kill the plant.
Don’t worry about the birds eating the spray. They don’t have the same reaction to the spray and will still be able to enjoy the seeds.
You can use a spray with less potency on camping materials, like your tent and the outside of your cooler for an extra layer of safety while you’re camping. Remember to keep pets away from the sprayed areas to avoid injury, especially if you’re using a potent spray.
If you notice the animal pests have been avoiding the areas that you’ve sprayed, but have chosen new targets in your garden, try spraying as many plants as you can. Eventually, the animals will learn that your garden is unsafe and will look for food elsewhere.
