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                           Back to the Basics

Try some of these home made remedies for pests, insects etc that won't poison you and your loved ones in the process.

If you have any tried and true insect remedies or other tips you would like to pass on please email them to me and

I will gladly post them here with credit to you. mail to bett@canada.com

 

Earwig trap: You can  use a trap consisting of a tuna can 1/2 filled with vegetable oil and placed near plants ravaged by earwigs. The earwigs are attracted to the oil and meet their maker, unable to exit the can. This does work well.

 

 
5 cloves garlic
1 cup water
3 drops liquid soap
Puree  garlic and water in blender until liquefied.  Strain the mixture and add 3 drops of soap.  Add enough water to bring the mixture to 1 quart.  Spray on plants

Skunk Odors For those who may have been exposed to skunks, here is a home remedy to get rid of the odor: Mix one part of 3% hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 cup of baking soda, and 1 teaspoon of liquid soap. All of these are available at your local drugstore. Use the concoction immediately and then rinse off with tap water.

 

ANTS

To keep ants out of a house or a garden: sprinkle ground cinnamon around base of house. (I get the bulk cheap stuff works great no ants in 7 yrs!) You can also sprinkle it on ant beds, to kill the ants (or they will travel to your neighbors yards). For your garden: sprinkle concentrated lemon juice round the whole garden, keeps ants & insects out of garden. Both are ok to use if you have pets or little kids around, safe for all to use & you can get the kids to do it for you without worry!


 

ANTS formula 2:
Ingredients:
 

  • Boric Acid
  • Sugar
  • Cotton Balls

Mix Boric Acid and Sugar in a bowl. Then soak Cotton ball in Mixture and let dry. Place Cotton balls in path of Ants. Contributed by Michelle Potter

 

ANT TRAPS:
Ingredients:
 

  • 1/3 cup molasses
  • 6 tablespoons sugar
  • 6 tablespoons active dry yeast

Mix ingredients together in a small bowl until they form a smooth past. Spread the mixture into plastic lid. Any old plastic container will do. Set the mixture near the mouth of ant hill. For kitchen areas, coat a strip of cardboard with the mixture and lay along floor or in crevices where ants travel. Works best with medium to large ants. Try substituting honey for the molasses.

MAKE YOUR OWN FLY PAPER

Ingredients:
 

  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Mix ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour over strips of brown paper and let soak overnight. To hang, poke a hole in one end of a strip and tie a string to it.

MOSQUITO/INSECT REPELLENT

Formula 1: Ingredients

  • aloe vera gel
  • essential oils of citronella
  • tea tree oil
  • lavender oil

Stir all ingredients  together
Mix becomes opaque. (make it as strong as y0u like)

contributed by Lucy

Formula 2: Ingredients
 

  • 3 cups rubbing alcohol
  • 1 1/2 cups red cedar wood shavings
  • 1/2 cup eucalyptus leaves

Mix ingredients together in a large bowl or jar. Cover and let stand 5 days. Strain the solid ingredients out and save the remaining liquid. Store tightly sealed. Yield: 2 cups. To use, pour into a small spray bottle and spray lightly on skin.

Formula 3: Ingredients
 

  • 1/4 cup denatured alcohol
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons camphor
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons calcium chloride

Mix ingredients together in a bowl and stir until dissolved. To use, rub on skin before going outside, or pour into a small spray bottle and spray lightly on skin. CAUTION: Do not use near eyes. Discontinue use if you notice a rash or other allergic reaction.

Formula 4: Ingredients
Mix together:

  • One ounce of either oil of citronella or pennyroyal
  • Baby oil or vegetable oil, a few drops

Citronella and pennyroyal can be found at most health food stores. Apply to skin before going outside.
(Note: caution should be used with pennyroyal around or by pregnant women)  

Formula 5: Ingredients

  • Four parts glycerin
  • 4 parts alcohol
  • 1 part eucalyptus oil

Or make a solution of equal parts of isopropyl alcohol and methyl phthalate.

Avon's Skin-So-Soft
Although some people swear by this product, I didn't find it to be particularly effective.

Garlic Juice
. Use at least 1 part garlic juice to 5 parts water in a small personal size spray bottle. Works every time, works great in the woods.  We originally started to use this in our garden instead of poisons and decided to use it on ourselves since it worked so well.

APHIDS:
To keep aphids and other pests off your roses: Finely chop
 
  • 1 onion
  • 2 medium cloves of garlic

Put ingredients into a blender with 2 cups of water and blend on high. Strain out pulp. Pour liquid into spray bottle. Spray a fine mist on rose bushes, making sure to coat both tops and bottoms of leaves.

ALUMINUM FOIL "FOILS" APHIDS

Use an aluminum foil much around the base of plants such as tomatoes. The reflection confuses the insects and drives them away.

SPIDER MITES:
Combine 1/2 cup buttermilk, 4 cups wheat flour and 5 gallons water. Suffocates spider mites and other mites.

MEALYBUGS:
Apply rubbing alcohol to insect clusters with cotton swab. Wash with insecticidal soap and rinse. Isolate infected plant if possible.

CABBAGE WORMS:
Sprinkle flour on developing cabbage heads. The flour swells up inside the worms and bursts their intestines.

SLUGS:
 

  • Sprinkle salt directly onto slug. They shrivel up and die.
  • Place shallow bowl of beer on the ground near slug trails and leave overnight.
  • Copper wire? That's what Martha Stewart says. Coil a piece of wire around the base of your plants to give slugs a shocking experience. They won't come back.