Pictured above: pile of tomato leaves to be made into an insect spray
Here's how to make your own natural pesticide spray from Tomato leaves. Tomatoes have alkaloids in their leaves which act as a natural insect repellent and the leaves can attract beneficial insects who feed on pests. Tomato leaf spray can be effective for aphids, Corn earworm and Diamondback moths. Once your tomato plants are growing strong you can pluck a few leaves from them to make this spray.
WARNINGS - Tomato leaves are not known to be toxic to humans but always be cautious in case you may have an allergy. Tomato leaves ARE toxic to pets. Be sure to keep this spray and the leaves away from your pet. I also would not advise spraying mature fruits or vegetables that are ready to be harvested.
Option 1:
Soak 1 to 2 cups of chopped or mashed tomato leaves in 2 cups of water overnight. Strain through cheesecloth or fine mesh, add about 2 more cups of water to the strained liquid.
Option 2:
If you have access to a machine that will juice greens or leaves I think this is a quicker and easier method. I have a small plastic juicer that was especially made for greens. I never used it for making anything and it was just gathering dust. You may even find these types of juicers at yard sales or on Ebay. The juicer made quick work of the tomato leaves and I diluted it immediately with water. There was no wait time. I used 2 cups water and the juice from the leaves which was about 1/3 cup, you could dilute it further and use 4 cups water.
BOTH METHODS - It is recommended that you use utensils for the extract preparation that are not use for your food preparation, drinking or cooking.
For aphid control, thoroughly cover the leaf and undersides, especially of lower leaves and growing tips of plants where aphids congregate.
For more images check out the photo album for tomato leaf spray here.
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