They are everywhere!! In the garden, in the house, in the yard… what do we do?
Personally, I’m not a big fan of the pesticides and chemicals that are traditionally used to get rid of pests. Plus, these natural pest remedies are generally MUCH less expensive than the ones in the bottle.
Here are some of my favorites:
Fruit Flies – Get a tall cup and put a little vinegar and some ripe fruit in the bottom. Then roll up a piece of paper so that it makes a funnel with a tiny hole at the bottom. Place the funnel in the glass so that the bottom of the funnel is about an inch higher than the vinegar/fruit. Tape the funnel together to hold it, and also tape it to the cup. Then set it out on the counter and let it work! The fruit flies will fly into the hole in the funnel to get to the fruit, but then they can’t figure out how to get back out.
Spiders and other Insects – I’m not a fan of spiders! I try to be brave for my kids, but I would just rather not have to deal with them. After reading this article HERE, I decided to try Tansy Leaf. I filled an old sock with dried tansy leaf and put it under the beds to keep away the bugs (the bedrooms are where I’m most concerned about spiders). You can also buy the dried Tansy leaves from the website that I linked to above.
Mosquitos – Some people swear by Avon Skin So Soft to repel mosquitos, but I’m just not a fan of the oily feeling it leaves on my skin. I used Tansy leaf again here to make into a strong “tea.” Then I put that into a spray bottle and spray it on while I’m outside. It works great for me! I also really like the little coiled citronella wristbands for the kids.
Ants – For ants inside, you can just whole cloves sprinkled under and inside cabinets (or in old socks) to keep them away (I LOVE the smell of cloves!) For ants outside, Crystal over at The Thrifty Mama says to sprinkle instant grits onto the mounds. The ants will eat the grits and then the grits will swell inside their bellies, and, well… yeah, they’re gone.
Bugs in the garden – There are a few things you can do here to keep pests at bay.
1) Diatomaceous Earth – You can get this at most garden supply stores. Just sprinkle the “DE” around and on the plants and it will cause the bugs to dry up (this doesn’t work to repel flying bugs, but it helps with the ones on the ground).
2) Putting crushed eggshells around the plants will help to keep away slugs and snails.
3) Combine one tablespoon of oil, a few drops of liquid soap and a quart of water and then spray all over (including underneath) the plants. MAKE SURE you don’t put too much soap or it can kill the plants. You will need to reapply this regularly.
Wasps and Bees – This remedy won’t keep away wasps for good, but will help keep them away from people when outside. Get a jar with a lid and make a small (about the size of your pinky) hole in the center of the lid. Then fill the jar about halfway with sugar water and set it in the corner of your yard (away from any kids!!) The wasps and bees will be attracted to the sugar, crawl into the hole, not be able to get out and then drown. Again, for obvious reasons, make sure to put this in a place where kids would not be able to get to it.
Do you have any tips for naturally getting rid of pests? Leave a comment and let us know!
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