Safe Homegrown Pesticides
(Page 2 of 3)
March/April 1980
By Diane Downs
To make a great bug-chasing spray for plants, just blend crushed garlic with water (experiment with different concentrations till you find the strength that works for you), let it soak, and spray the strained liquid on the gnawing invaders that play havoc with your garden. (For an extra strong spray, add some cayenne to the basic mixture.)
RELATED CONTENT
Ducks produce valuable meat and eggs, and they’re fun to watch. But their most valuable asset to a ...
Selecting the best method of termite control can be a challenge for anyone who has concerns about t...
Are grasshoppers driving you nuts this summer? Good news — you don’t have to let them win, and you ...
FEVERFEW
Feverfew ( Chrysanthemum parthenium or Pyrethrum parthenium ) — a relative of pyrethrum that was used in the old days to help reduce fever — is also a mild insect repellent. Though the daisylike flowers are beautiful, their bitter aroma repels pests from nearby vegetables. (That's how most pesticide plants work: When intermingled with edibles, they emit a disagreeable odor which deceives insects into thinking that nothing yummy is growing in the area.)
MARIGOLDS, ETC.
Mexican marigolds ( Tagetes minuta ) and pot marigolds ( Calendula officinalis ) are especially effective garden protectors (be sure, however, not to grow the "new, improved" no-scent varieties). Scatter the flowering plants through your Brassicas (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts) for bugless crops that are also free of nasty nematodes. (Start the marigolds indoors early so that they'll be ready to bloom and protect even your very first seedlings.)
The list of beneficial garden herbs goes on and on: Nasturtiums scare off bean beetles and aphids ... horseradish will guard your potato patch . . . sage, catnip, thyme, and rosemary deter the cabbage moth (as does mint, which is generally helpful to cabbage) ... chives ward off aphids ... and chamomile tea protects new seedlings from "damping off". Bergamot, lavender, and lemon balm can also be used to provide general repellent action throughout the garden.
FOR HOME AND HOMEBODIES:
PENNYROYAL
If you and your animals are plagued by summertime bouts with mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas, by all means grow lots of pennyroyal ( Mentha pulegium ) . It has an intense minty scent that the bloodthirsty pests detest. Furthermore, pennyroyal can be multiplied easily by separating and planting its rooted runners once the "parents" are established.
I make cloth flea collars for our pets by sewing a tube of fabric that will be long enough to tie around the animal's neck. To do this, I fold a three-inch-wide strip of material in half lengthwise, stitch the edges, turn the resulting tube inside out, and stuff it full of either dried or fresh pennyroyal before securing it around my pet's neck. For personal use, simply take a handful of the fresh leaves and rub them on your face, arms, and other exposed areas.
TANSY
Tansy ( Tanacetum vulgare ) can, if planted by your doorstep, discourage ants from entering your home. Likewise, a bunch of the herb (or of sweet woodruff: Asperula odorata ) hung in your dwelling or barn will keep flies away.
