How frustrating is it to spend all that time and effort growing your favorite vegetables in your garden only to watch it get chomped away or infested with those little pesky bugs. We completely know the feeling and so does every gardener. But before you get those chemicals out or are planning your action to get your garden rid of these little monsters, the solution might be sitting in your cabinet. I know! Amazing, right?
Essential oils have been a go to for many reasons in our households these days. For aromatherapy, or for skincare or for cough and cold, the benefits of these little bottles filled with wonderful oils are beyond your skincare. They can also be used in your garden to get those bugs away. Let’s find out what essential oils can be used, before you start raiding your cabinets.
Spiders: Peppermint, Spearmint, Tea Tree
Powdery Mildew or any other fungus: Wild Orange
Fleas: Peppermint, Lemongrass, Lavender
Ants: Spearmint, Peppermint, Wild Orange, Tea Tree, Patchouli
Mosquitoes: Lemongrass, Citronella
Squash bugs: Peppermint, Wild Orange
Ticks: Lemongrass, Thyme
Cockroaches: Peppermint, Citronella,
Slugs: Peppermint, Cedarwood
Peppermint oil is almost like a one stop shop for most of the pests and bugs. It does not just keep your home fresh but also keeps bugs like fleas, spiders, mosquitoes, mice, flies, and ants away. The main reason being the strong smell that this oil produces which is a major deterrent for the bugs. You can mix 8 to 10 drops in a cup of water and use this mixture as a spray around the area where you suspect bugs.
Citronella Oil : One of the famous oils even in the bug repellent market. The companies use this oil for its beneficial properties of repelling flies, ants, mosquitoes and many other bugs. You can also find this oil in the candles, lotions and other bug repellent lotions as well. You can make a spray of this oil as well and use it for keeping the bugs away.
Eucalyptus oil: It is not just a plant loved by Koalas but humans as well. But not so much by flies, mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, earwigs, aphids, and mites. You can make a mixture of this oil, dish liquid and water and spray it on the plants that are infested by bugs.
These are just some but potent options to use in your garden when these little critters strike. Remember to use it repeatedly till the bugs are gone from your garden. Essential oils are a great way to keep your home and garden chemical free while using the same oils indoors and outdoors. Don’t forget to check if certain oils are a hazard to your pets as it might prove to be toxic to your pet babies.
