If you spend any time in the hardware store or garden center looking at your options for controlling pests you will see numerous bottles marked with “poison” or “toxic” and details how to reach the poison control hotline if there is a problem. It’s enough to make you decide to live with the pests!
However you don’t have to live with toxins or pesky bugs! You can use natural strategies to help you keep the bugs away! Your first step is to figure out what in your home or garden is attractive to the pests. If preventative measures aren’t enough try some natural repellents.
Inside the house place sachets of crushed mint, bay leaf, clove or eucalyptus around the house to repel flies.
For moths wrap cedar blocks or chips in cheesecloth and place in the drawer or cabinet alongside your clothes. Dried lemon peels are also a natural moth deterrent.
To keep tiny grain moths and weevils out of pantry staples place a cinnamon stick or bay leaf in with your flour, pasta or grains. The strong smelling spices will repel the insects without affecting the foods taste or smell.
I have made my own bug repellent which smells wonderful and does a great job at keeping the bugs away.
In your garden the easiest way to prevent insect damage is to discourage pests from coming in the first place. Pull out any weak or infected plants. Clear your garden area of debris and weeds which are a breeding place for insects.
Interplant and rotate your crops. When plantings are mixed, pests are less likely to spread through a crop. Rotating crops each year is a common method to avoid re-infestation of pests, which have overwintered in the bed.
There are other non-toxic and homemade remedies you can use. Homemade remedies are inexpensive and you now what is going into your garden. For soft bodied insects such as mites, aphids and mealybugs mix one tablespoon of canola oil and a few drops of Ivory soap into a quart of water. Shake well and pour into a spray bottle. Spray plant from above down, and from below up to gets the underside of the leaves. The oil will smoother the insects.
For natural remedies to get rid of Japanese Beetles read my post here.
I am also raising Guinea Fowl this year in the hopes that they will consume many of the bugs in our garden I will let you know how it goes!
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Nancy on the Home Front 