You, Your Garden and Your Pests
Let's talk bugs. No matter if, we are inside or out, they are around, bugging us. The good news is we can herbally control them in our homes, at night on our porches or while we are digging in our gardens.
Not only do you need to know the plants and their properties, you also do need to know your enemies! You will need to do your homework on the pests you need to control and what they are after before you formulate an herbal plan of attack. One thing we have learned is that there are many different types of mosquito's out there and each type find different levels warmth, perspiration, body odor, carbon dioxide emissions and light attractive.
Our ancestors had only plants to work with; they did not have man made chemical sprays or lotions to use to combat those bugs that used them for snacks. Over the centuries, they have identified some plants that have stood out as helpers and healers. The chemical compounds contained in many plants help as natural healers and as deterrents against pests. Many different herbal books on the shelves of your favorite bookstore can inform you of which plants are the plants for your specific problem.
The scents a plant produce not only makes us happy but also become a natural barrier to pests. In observing plants when insects attack them at night a plant emits an aroma or scent into the air to attract other insects to eat the attacking bugs. Some plants like Nicotiana are fertilized by the night insects release a heavy scent attract the insects they will help them move their pollen around and fertilize their flowers prepping the seeds for the coming year. Information necessary to use in determining the specific plant essence needed to combat your specific problem with insects.
There are a few ways to win the war against pests: scatter scents with companion planting by placing living plants in the specific areas you wish to have as bug free zones. Keep bugs and animals from your garden who may want to snack on the plants you have growing by chopping certain herbs and scattering them in your garden. Sprays also help to deter pests, mold and mildew. A spray can be made with 4 cups of water and 4 to 8 drops of the essential plant oil specific to the need.
You can also drop a drop or two of Citronella and Lemon on outside lights before they go on to deter mosquitoes. As the oil heats up on the light bulb, the scent emitted into the night air keeping the bugs away and making your outdoor time more enjoyable. Lavender deters birds and moths of all types. Beer attracts and kills slugs while pine needles keep them at bay, as they do not like crawling over their prickly ends. Wasps are not the smartest pest because they will fly into glass jars half way filled with water and drown.
The most common offensive pest we have during the summer season is the mosquito. To prevent them from snacking on you I have made a wonderful bug spray in two scents: peppermint and lemon/citronella. Both these scents have proven to be strong deterrents to many of the mosquito's out there. Wendy uses the citronella one daily and finds that she stays bite free while walking the trails near her home. This spray lacks the chemicals feel and smell that man made sprays.
No ill effects of chemicals will ever be brought to you with my herbal remedies. With that said it is important to note that while plant essences deter bugs they can also cause strong reactions in humans. It is important before trying out any new herbal product to know your sensitivities to the plant world. If you are allergic to peppermint or lemon and citronella let us know and we can see if there is another herbal combination we can create to serve your needs.
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