If you’ve ever tasted an apple or a tomato from an organic garden as opposed to the chemically enhanced and managed produce found in grocery stores, you know there is no comparison. Just as in naturally managing insects and pests around your home or person, herbs can be used successfully in keeping the bad bugs out of the garden as well.

We’re often asked what we use to fertilize the garden and when we say “primarily cow manure,” it usually brings on the “ewww…” response. In actuality, if composted cow manure smells like manure, it’s no good and what they call “hot” and should only be applied well in advance of planting. High-quality composted cow manure smells nothing at all like manure and has been well aged and decomposed into what is called “black gold for the garden.” In fact, it should have a slightly sweet earthy aroma, if any at all. By using natural and organic fertilizer and soil amendments you are also feeding the soil beneficial microbes which in time act to turn clay into loam – something chemical fertilizers cannot do and in some case impede.

There are reams of information available in books, magazines and online for “companion planting,” which is the method of gardening where specific plants are grown together to act in concert to ward off pests and disease. One such combination is to grow chamomile, garlic chives and tansy in your rose bed to keep it free of leaf eaters, Japanese beetles and disease. Tansy, though, is invasive and does better if planted in large pots with the bottoms removed and sunk so the rim is at ground level to prevent root spreading.

Read our intro on Natural & Low Toxic Pest & Animal Control.

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GENERAL INSECT REPELLENT FOR PLANTS
Homemade – in a blender puree 2 garlic bulbs and 2 chili peppers in 2 cups of water; steep in a sealed container overnight then strain through cheesecloth and store liquid in tightly sealed glass container in fridge; use ¼ cup of liquid and 1TBS lemon-scented dish soap to a gallon of water and spray susceptible plants once a week or after heavy rain

Homemade – Add an ounce of wormwood or tansy, lavender and sage leaves to a quart jar and fill with boiling water; seal and steep for several hours then strain; use 1/4 cup of liquid to a quart of water and 1TBS lemon-scented dish soap and spray on plants being munched by insects; have not tried this one yet

Organic Spray for Roses

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DORMANT OIL SPRAY

Homemade – 1TBS canola oil in a gallon of water; spray fruit trees and broad leaved evergreens in late winter to smother over-wintering insects

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JAPANESE BEETLES

Homemade – 2-4TBS lemon-scented dish soap in a gallon of water; sprayed directly on insects, kills on contact;alternatively, carry the mixture in a bucket and shake insects into the bucket

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POWDERY MILDEW, BLACKSPOT

Homemade – in a 1-gallon sprayer filled with water add ¼ cup of baking soda, 1TBS of dish detergent; spray foliage of affected plants once a week or after heavy rain

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FERTILIZER SPRAYS & DRENCHES

Compost Tea – made by brewing 1 gallon of compost to 4 gallons of water and an ounce of molasses in a 5-gallon bucket fitted with an aquarium pump for several days; strained and diluted in water, it can be used as a foliar spray or a soil drench; in addition to feeding plants, compost tea also feeds the soil beneficial microbes and helps to prevent outbreaks of powdery mildew and blackspot on roses

Neptune’sHarvest – a natural fertilizer made from seaweed and marine life; diluted inwater, it can be used as a foliar sprayed or a soil drench

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SOIL AMENDMENTS

Banana Peels – chopped and worked into soil around roses to add potassium

Coffee Grounds – sprinkle over the garden and scratch in lightly a as a very mild balanced fertilizer

Composted Cow Manure – well balanced soil amendment includes aged manure, humus and compost; tip for buying- if it smells, it’s no good

Epsom Salts –sprinkle 1-3 TBS around roses and scratch into soil to promote new canes sprouting from the crown

Plant Tone – mostly all organic plant food

Mulch – all mulch is not created equal; be sure to read your bag carefully as some inferior mulches are made by chipping used pallets which are generally made of pressure treated lumber; if the pallets had not aged sufficiently for out gassing and leaching to occur you could unknowingly be adding trace amounts of arsenic and other harmful chemicals to your garden; most high-quality mulches will state that they are a forestry-based product

In general, the use of chemically-based pesticide can create an in-balance of predatory insects to pest insects as it is not selective in its target and can compound existing problems by eliminating a particular pest’s predator. Likewise, the use of baits, traps, bags and electronic zappers intended to lure, trap and kill insects also tends to make matters worse by attracting additional pests that would not ordinarily have strayed into the target area. Chemically-based pesticide can also incapacitate or cause death for those who suffer from chemical sensitivities and environmental illness and endanger the well-being of pets and children who may wander into treated areas before out gassing ceases. In the case of many sprays and granules, out gassing continues long after the product has dried. Whereas many sprays kill on contact, moth balls and flakes, in particular, are extremely hazardous as their purpose is to out gas toxic fumes into the air for the life of the product in order to kill target insects upon inhalation.

Mothballs are the most toxic and harmful poisons to people, animals and the environment and contain cancer-causing agents.

Know the good guys as all bugs aren’t created equal. Some of them are quite beneficial actually help you to keep pest insects under control. Here are a few common ones:

Bees – pollinators needed for the survival and fruitful production of numerous crops and flowers and honey; will generally not harm but will sting if provoked

Caterpillars – we’ve seen the development and establishment of at least five different species in our backyard that become butterflies frequent and take up residence in the area; all are large (about 2” long and up to ½” diameter) and are bare or extremely furry in various colors

Lady Bugs, Asian Lady Beetles and Praying Mantis – eat other insects, but don’t hurt humans

Dragon Flies – large menacing-looking flying insects that do not harm, sting or bite humans; eats many other insects

Moths – in the clothes closet they are bad guys, but outside the common white moth is a significant pollinator of crops that produce night-blooming flowers and are mandatory when trying to grow crops such as gourds

Spiders and Centipedes – horrible creatures but they do eat other insects; solve your other pest problems and these guys will look for better hunting grounds

Wasps – eat other insects, but will sting humans if provoked

Note: Some of our pest control solutions and recipes use essential oils. These are extremely concentrated plant essences found in health food and vitamin stores. Although they are natural and are used in aromatherapy applications, it is possible to be allergic to some of them as with anything. That said, it’s wise to test to be sure no one in your home is allergic to any of them before using in wide or personal application. Be sure to use 100% pure essential oil from a health food or nutritional supplement store as this is different than oils found in craft stores to scent potpourri which usually contain chemical additives and/or artificial fragrance.

Read our intro on Natural & Low Toxic Pest & Animal Control.

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GENERAL INSECT REPELLANT

Homemade Spray – in a quart sprayer filled with distilled water add 10-20 drops each of eucalyptus,cedar, tea tree, geranium, citronella, rosemary and thyme essential oils; spray around foundation, doors, windows and other spots where insects are known to gain access to the house; to fumigate the whole house use 5 drops each in an old pot (dedicated now solely for this purpose) filled with water and simmer on stove or use a simmering potpourri pot or a plug-in diffuser

Diatomaceous Earth – sprinkled in areas where crawling insects are known to traverse will create an effective boundary; causes lacerations followed by dehydration and death of soft-bodied insects such as ants, beetles, earwigs, spiders, centipedes, caterpillars and others; all-natural product made from fossilized diatoms, a form of algae that has a silica shell; be sure to use horticultural grade which is slightly different the media used for pool filtering which has been heat-treated to increase crystalline structure for filtering; the correct product will often state that it is suitable as an organic pesticide

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PERSONAL INSECT REPELLANT (replaces OFF and Other Deet Products)

Lemon Balm Leaves – keep a pot of this citronella-scented herb outside the back door and rub the leaves on the exposed parts of your body to repel mosquitoes, gnats, etc.; hard to find,but we have plenty to share; can also be used in flavoring and garnishing iced tea and lemonade

Tea Tree Oil – swab some diluted oil on exposed skin, never at full strength on the face;alternatively, mix several drops in a spray bottle of water and mist yourself;this is also an effective antiseptic and anti-itch remedy; you can also add lavender, rosemary and/or geranium oils to the spray mix

Sandalwood – mosquitoes loathe the scent of sandalwood; apply sandalwood oil to clothing; use a sunscreen that contains sandalwood as a primary ingredient

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ANTS
Controlling ants is a cumulative process as they are offended by citrus and will eventually leave to find more hospitable quarters; success is with frequent and regular use of one or all of these methods; if they have been a severe problem for sometime, it may take a season or two to effectively manage the problem

Lemon-Scented Dish Soap – wash affected area with washcloth heavily doused with soap; wash and dry only – do not rinse

Oranges – pour boiling water over orange peels and allow to steep several hours; strain and use as a wash or spray in areas where ants are active

Sweet Orange Essential Oil – apply several drops to a plug-in diffuser to fumigate a whole room or the entire house

Terro Ant Traps – commercial ant traps that use borax as the active ingredient; the least toxic method of control that is 100% effective within a couple of weeks; odorless

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BEES, WASPS, YELLOW JACKETS
Unless there is a serious problem or a hive has been constructed in a less-than-ideal place, killing these should be a last resort effort as they are beneficial in numerous ways including eating other pest insects and pollinating flora; when in distress and killed, yellow jackets will emit pheromones that will attract other yellow jackets in the area to investigate

Homemade – 2-4TBS lemon-scented dish soap to a gallon of water; heavily sprayed on the bee or wasp will stun and kill it

Orange Juice – placed in a small bowl will draw them away; effective, but does fall into the bait/trap category that may result in more activity than is currently present;because the bees will drown in the juice and emit pheromones, the bowl needs to be placed well away from where you are active

Plant Nectar and Pollen-Producing Flowers – Ironically, planting flowers that are known to attract these creatures actually resolves situations where they are a nuisance to humans; when providing a variety of nectar and pollen producing flowers, the bees will be too concerned, and in some cases intoxicated, with the plants to bother humans and will be totally unconcerned with your presence

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CLOTHES MOTHS

Lavender – hang a bunch of dried lavender in the closet or make sachets with the dried blooms for use in dresser drawers to keep moths away; we have plenty of dried lavender to share

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LADY BUGS & BEETLES, STINK BUGS
Lady bugs and Asian lady beetles are predatory and eat other pests and insects and are beneficial to have around and so should be relocated rather than killed if possible; both stink bugs and lady beetles emit pheromones to attract more of their own kind when killed or crushed; both are attracted by light and warmth and tend to gravitate to southern – southwestern – western rooms and walls on warm sunny days primarily in late winter-spring and late summer-fall

Homemade – 2-4TBS lemon-scented dish soap to a gallon of water; sprayed directly on insects, kills on contact but may cause stink bugs to fume

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MOSQUITOES & GNATS
Basil – mosquitoes don’t like basil so plant lots of it around your outdoor activity areas

Sandalwood – mosquitoes loathe the scent of sandalwood; burn sandalwood incense in your outdoor living space to repel them; special incense sticks that look similar to a sparkler are available and can be stuck right in the ground; can be difficult to find though any sandalwood incense or 10 to 20 drops of essential oil in as pray bottle will be effective as well

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SPIDERS & CENTIPEDES
Keep peppermint, spearmint and other mint-scented things sealed as spiders are attracted to that scent

Diatomaceous Earth – sprinkled in areas that these creatures are known to inhabit will create an effective boundary; will kill them within a day or two by causing lacerations followed by dehydration; slightly different than that used in pool filtering systems which has been heat-treated to increase crystalline structure for filtering; the correct product will often state that it is suitable as an organic pesticide

Osage Oranges – a large orange-shaped, bumpy, light green, inedible fruit that when left to dry in areas where spiders frequent will repel them

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SLUGS & SNAILS

Coffee Grounds – sprinkle used coffee grounds around susceptible plants such as hostas and purple coneflower; causes them a burning sensation and they will avoid the treated area

Sluggo – an effective natural solution made from iron phosphate adds iron nutrients to the soil as well; white pellets tend to mold as decaying in humid summer weather

Barring the use of a solid and impenetrable wall seven or eight feet high, nothing will keep a determined animal from roaming or browsing where it wants to. However, there are some very effective natural and low-toxic methods to gain some control. Their effectiveness may vary from season to season and between different locations. What may keep the deer out of your garden may not necessarily work for someone else who lives where a different herd browses. It is very much trial and error and continual monitoring of the habits of the animal you’re trying to exclude.

Read our intro on Natural & Low Toxic Pest & Animal Control.

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DEER & RABBITS

Coyote Urine – available as liquid and granules; have not had success in using this

Human Hair Clippings, Human Urine, Irish Spring Soap Shavings – somewhat successful, but generally not effective in heavy browsing areas

Liquid Fence – environmentally friendly spray made from garlic and egg; extremely effective but browsing habits need to be monitored with weekly or biweekly spraying during peek late spring and late summer seasons

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CATS & DOGS

Coffee Grounds, Hot Pepper, Black Pepper – only works for cats as they do not like to get pungent smelling or tasting things on their paws; orange and other citrus rinds will repel cats; use hot pepper as last resort as it can cause cats eye irritation when washing their faces after having walked in a treated area

Liquid Fence – environmentally friendly spray made from garlic, hot pepper and cinnamon; have not used but expect it is as effect as deer/rabbit product is

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GROUNDHOGS/WOODCHUCKS

Gum – Bubbulicious or Juicy Fruit works best spread around their haunts; will keep them at bay for a week or so

Fox Urine – available as liquid and granules; can send dogs into a tizzy trying to hunt for a fox; have not had success in using this

We get asked all the time by people who have seen the garden, either in person or online, how we possibly maintain it without the use of chemical pesticide.With that in mind, we’ve assembled our arsenal of chemical-free ways we have found over the years and use to effectively control pests in and outside of the house and maintain the garden. A completely and totally pest-free environment is not possible, especially when you live in wooded areas. However,understanding the habits of your pests, working to “train” them away and allowing a mix of predators and prey will, in time, establish a balance that you can live with. An all-organic approach isn’t a quick fix, but is along-term commitment that requires consistency to be effective.

Using natural and organic solutions will create a safe and healthy environment for people, plants and animals. It will nullify the possibility of environmental contamination by toxic chemicals that could leach into soil and ground water or eliminate certain beneficial and predatory insects that are necessary for a healthy and thriving ecosystem.

Here we present the solutions that we have tried and in most case have had great success in using. This list is by no means exhaustive as the resources for methods of organic gardening and natural pest management are extensive both online and in book stores.

Repelling Animals the Eco Way
Putting Insect Pests in Their Place
Organic Insecticide, Fungicide and Fertilizer
Organic Rose Spray

To do something a little different for Easter, we grew pots of rye grass and then inserted sugar cookies that we baked on bamboo skewers into the pots to create a “blooming pot of flowers.”

SUPPLIES
Clay pots
Potting soil
Rye grass seed
Sugar cookie dough and icing
Bamboo skewers
Cellophane treat bags
Ribbon or twist ties

METHOD
About three weeks before Easter, plant rye grass in new clay pots and grow on the windowsill. Once the grass begins to grow, trim with scissors to keep to a nice height until you are ready to insert your cookie pops.

Roll your sugar cookies extra thick, cut out and place on a baking sheet. Press a bamboo skewer lightly into them before baking. The skewer will bake into the dough, giving you a cookie on a stick.

Ice the cooled cookies and wrap in a cellophane bag and close tightly with ribbon or a twist tie and “plant” in the pots.