Living on Earth is an independent media program and relies entirely on contributions from listeners and institutions supporting public service. Please donate now to preserve an independent environmental voice.

For information on how to listen to audio on our website, click here.

Natural ways to repel insects and other pests:

Southernwood

Strong scented, southernwood is often mixed with lavender artemisia, a member of the Dusty Miller family, in herbal satchels to protect your woolen clothing in the closet. Prepare small sachets of dried herbs and place in closet
1 part southernwood or tansy
1 part wormwood
1 part lavender
1 part rosemary/or thyme

Aphids In The Garden?

Make a spray of old cigarettes. The nicotine is highly toxic to bugs (and humans alike, so keep away from children.) To make, take one pack of cigarettes, crush, let seep in one gallon of water for 24 hours. Strain and place in a clearly marked spray bottle "Poison". Kills most crawling bugs on contact. Do not use on tomatoes, as the tobacco leaves may carry a fungus which infects tomatoes.

White Flies On House Plants

Try making the following spray:
1 cup leaves of rhubarb
1 cups marigold leaves
1 cup yarrow leaves

Add the above to one gallon of water, let sit overnight and then spray. Add 2-3 tablespoons of dishwashing liquid (to help the mix adhere to the plant) and place in a clearly labeled spray bottle.

Rabbits In The Vegetable Patch?

Try planting wormwood (or any member of the artemesia family. Rabbits seem to dislike the smell of the plants, and the gray leaved plants make attractive additions to the garden.

Tansy

Tansy is what was once called a strewing herb, tossed on the floor so that when walked upon it would release a fragrance. A few sprigs of tansy tied together and placed in an area where ants congregate will repel them. If you have an ant problem over a large area, you can take a handful of tansy, boil it in a quart of water, and use the diluted spray to spray on floor areas where ants are a problem. Tansy is almost invasive. One of the problems in growing it is that when you start out you'll have a lot of it. It blooms in the late summer, about 4 feet tall with yellow blossoms. It is a pleasant addition to the perennial border.

Pennyroyal

A member of the mint family, pennyroyal is often used in floor preparations and natural mixtures as a cleanser. Pennyroyal is also a great flea repellent. Add a handful to a quart of boilling water for 20 minutes. When it's cooled you can add it to your pet's bath. It can also be mixed with tansy in an old pair of nylons and hung in your closet to repel moths. Pennyroyal grows about 6 inches high.

Marigolds

Planting marigolds in your garden can help get rid of nematodes, tiny little worms that eat the roots of plants. To eradicate them from your garden you will have to plant the entire surface in marigolds. For a minor infestation scatter marigolds in and around the plants you're growing.

Beer

To get rid of slugs in your garden, open a can of beer and increase the opening with a can opener so that half the top of the can is open. Bury it so that the opening is level with the soil. The slugs are attracted to the beer, and fall in the can and drown.