Getting Buggy in Your Garden Patch? - See Herb Garden Plants That Double As Natural Bug Repellents

One of the major concerns for the herb gardener is how to protect plants from insects, plant diseases, and even animals such as deer from nibbling away at their prize herbs.

Companion plants are the natural bug repellents for the home herb garden. They not only aid other plants to grow better, but they deter insects, disease, and animals from eating anything in close proximity. In so doing, they protect your plants without you having to use expensive insecticides which enable you to stay organic. This is particularly important since much of what you grow you probably intend to eat.

Catnip Plants

There are many herbs and flowers that act as companion plants. While you can certainly experiment, start with plants that are native to your area that insects already recognize.

Some of the more popular companion plants used as natural bug repellents are:

Anise - attracts wasps that will devour aphids that attack nearby plants.

Basil - repels flies and mosquitoes.

Borage -- repels tomato hornworms, Japanese beetles, squash bugs, and cabbageworms, but attracts bees and wasps.

Catnip - repels mice, ants, aphids, flea beetles, and weevils.

Chives - drives away Japanese beetles and carrot rust fly.

Chyrsanthemums - kills root nematodes, and when flowering, repels Japanese beetles.

Coriander - repels aphids, spider mites, and potato beetle.

Dill - repels aphids and spider mites.

Elderberry - when made into a spray from the leaves, will kill aphids, carrot root fly, cucumber beetles, and peach tree borers.

Garlic - repels aphids.

Geranium - repels cabbage worms and Japanese beetles.

Hyssop - deters garden pests from cabbage and grapes.

Lavender - repels fleas and moths.

Mint - deters white cabbage moths, ants, rodents, flea beetles, fleas, and aphids.

Mole Plant - repels moles and mice.

Nasturtium - chases away the squash bug and whitefly.

Peppermint - repels white cabbage moths, aphids, and flea beetles.

Petunias - repels the asparagus beetle, leafhoppers, tomato worms, and Mexican bean beetles.

Radishes - deters cucumber beetles and rust flies.

Rue - will repel aphids, flies, slugs, snails, flea beetles, and Japanese beetles.

Soybeans - repels chinch bugs and Japanese beetles.

Thyme - deters cabbage worms.

Some of the herbs listed here can be made into teas and powders that can be applied directly on herb plants or soaked into the soil. However, we suggest that you consult a garden guide on this approach as some herbs can be toxic in this form and could hurt pets and children.

And finally, companion plants are compatible with some herb and vegetable plants, but not friendly with others. Research companion plants first before you plant and you will have a healthy and bug-free garden every season.

Getting Buggy in Your Garden Patch? - See Herb Garden Plants That Double As Natural Bug Repellents

Natural Mosquito Repellents - Mosquito Repellent Plants

Natural Mosquito Repellents

No one likes getting bitten by mosquitoes. It is a problem that many people face, especially in the summer months. Mosquito bites are itchy, annoying and can even carry diseases. Many gardeners and outdoor enthusiasts are often overrun by mosquitoes and look for solutions to this growing problem. While people do use commercial products and other mosquito repellents, many are looking for alternative solutions to their mosquito problems.

Catnip Plants

The problem with commercial mosquito repellents is that they may be harmful to children or to the environment. Spray on mosquito repellents can be uncomfortable and leave your skin feeling nasty. Mosquito torches don't really seem to work that well and other products can be really expensive to keep buying over time. These are common reasons as to why many people are turning to a more natural solution to keep mosquitoes at bay.

The first step to reducing the amount of mosquitoes that you have to deal with is to figure out why the mosquitoes are attracted in the first place. The number one thing that can attract mosquitoes is stagnant water. It is vital that there is no stagnant or sitting water around for mosquitoes to breed in. Once you have verified that there is no stagnant water you can move on to the next step, keeping the mosquitoes away.

How to Keep Mosquitoes Away

What a lot of people may not know is that there are certain plants that can't actually help keep mosquitoes away. This means you can keep them in your garden and have a natural and effective way to combat mosquitoes when needed. The way these plants work is through the compounds that can be found in them. These compounds need to be released for the plants to work and they can be released in a few ways. These include crushing, drying and infusing. After releasing the compounds in the plants you can then start utilizing them for mosquito repellent in the house, on the skin or on clothing.

What are the Best Mosquito Repellent Plants?

Although many plants have the ability to repel mosquitoes I am going to list the best and easiest ones to grow for yourself at home.

Citronella is the most popular mosquito repellent plant and is in many commercial products. It works very much like a candle repellent would. After applying citronella it will mask the scent of other attractants to mosquitoes and effectively "hide" you from them.

Horsement is a great option if you live in Texas or surrounding areas. It works much like citronella because it has a strong scent that will cover attractants of mosquitoes. The reason that it is great for Texas is because it is fast growing and extremely resistant to drought. It can easily grow in dry and sandy areas.

Catnip is universally known as a plant for cats. However, the plant also doubles as a very handy mosquito repellent. It is easily grown and does not take much work to get it growing. Studies have been conducted that show that catnip is up to 10 times more effective at repelling mosquitoes than store bought products.

Natural Mosquito Repellents - Mosquito Repellent Plants

How to Easily Make Chemical Free Homemade Repellents

You do not have to worry about effectiveness of homemade repellents. These repellents are very effective and cause no side effects. You can use such repellents on your plants or in the garden and protect them from harmful effects of chemicals present in commercial repellents.

Simple Homemade Repellents

Catnip Plants

If ants are causing a nuisance in your kitchen shelves, place a cucumber peel to ward them off. The bitter the cucumber peel, the more effective it is as an ant repellent. Make a mixture of soapy water and fill it in any old spray bottle. Spraying it directly on the ants can dispel ants from your home. Sprinkle cinnamon around the areas ants normally come through. You would be soon free of ants. Planting peppermint around your house is a natural way of keeping away ants. Try any of these homemade repellents to get rid of ants in your house.

Pests normally invade your potted plants and your garden. Simple homemade repellents can get rid of all pests and keep your plants healthy and beautiful. Mix one-tablespoon liquid dishwashing soap with a cup of mineral or cooking oil. Mix three tablespoons of this mixture into a quart of clean water. Spray this to get rid of pests. Alternatively, marinate orange, lemon, or grapefruit rinds in water for few days and sprinkle this water on plants as effective pest repellents.

A natural way of getting rid of fleas is to place a wide and shallow pan of soapy water in the area infested with fleas. You should shine a lamp over the water and fleas would jump towards heat of the lamp and fall into the water. Fleas cannot jump out due to presence of soapy detergent. Other homemade repellents for fleas include applying cedar oil, lavender oil, and other herbal oils around ears and neck of your pets.

Mosquitoes are a common menace across any part of the world. Make use of simple homemade repellents to keep away mosquitoes. Catnip oil is very effective against mosquitoes. Apply the oil liberally on your hands and legs. Apply crushed basil leaves on your exposed areas and mosquitoes will stay away from you. Use Feverfew herb on your exposed skin and allow it to dry naturally. This protects you against mosquito bites. Crushed garlic is a very effective insecticide. Soak finely chopped garlic in an ounce of mineral oil for two days. Strain and add few drops of dishwashing liquid. Dilute this with water and spray on plants to keep away mosquitoes, as garlic is a natural pesticide against mosquito larvae.

All homemade repellents are free of chemicals and therefore do not cause any health problems. Mix one tablespoon of Dettol (also called parachlorometaxylenol, or PCMX) and four tablespoons of baby oil and apply on skin to keep off mosquitoes or other small flying insects. Mix a tablespoon of vanilla extract in a cup of water and apply to your skin as a mosquito repellent.

You can also keep a small quantity of this mixture in an open container. The smell of this liquid would keep away all flies, mosquitoes, and gnats. Rubbing little bit of plain alcohol on your hands and legs can keep you free of any insect bites.

How to Easily Make Chemical Free Homemade Repellents