From roaches in hotels to rats in the garage, all of us have, at some point, had run-ins with pests.
Often the poisons, pesticides and treatments we use to keep mice out the garage and bugs off the plants are toxic and do more damage than good.
Children or pets can become gravely ill from accidentally ingesting poisons meant for pests.
Ants
Though they may not carry disease, given a chance they will carry off entire sugar bowls or any leftover food not sealed in airtight containers. Rather than using fowl smelling aerosol poisons try the following:
• Spray the ants with a bit of soapy water.
• Ants have an aversion to bitter cucumber. Leave bits or slices near the ant’s point of entry.
• Dry, crushed mint leaves or cloves also work as ant deterrents.
• A change in light can discourage their foraging patterns. Leave a small, low wattage light on.
Cockroaches
The best defence against cockroaches is cleanliness but should you be plagued by persistent bugs try:
• Catnip. Nepetalactone, the active ingredient, repels cockroaches. You can simmer it in water to make a tea that you can then spray behind counters. Say goodbye to roaches.
• Soak a few slices of bread in beer, place them in a jar, cover the inside lip in Vaseline and leave the jars in infested areas. Roaches will be attracted to the scent of beer but once in the jar will be unable to escape.
Flies
Summer brings with it flies. Keep these critters out by doing the following:
• Mint is not only great for cocktails but if crushed and left around the home it can repel flies.
• Flies are attracted to pet food. Leave containers of sweet basil and clover near pet bowls.
• Add eucalyptus oil to an old absorbent cloth and hang in infested areas.
To keep your organic veggie garden free of pests try:
• Seaweed mulch contains trace elements such as iron, zinc, barium, calcium, sulphur and magnesium, which promote healthy development in plants while repelling slugs.
• Get rid of mites and aphids by mixing canola oil, a few drops of soap and water. Put this mixture in a spray bottle and spray the plant. The oily mixture smothers insects.
• Fungal plant diseases can be treated with a mixture of baking soda and water. Spray the mixture on infected plants every few days until the fungus disappears.
• Information supplied by Private Property.
