Nothing is more frustrating that nurturing your plants from seeds to grown plants, only to have your garden harvest ruined by pests. I refuse to use chemical sprays in my gardens, as to me that totally destroys the point of growing our own produce. Unfortunately, the last two years in a row, aphids overtook my kale beds towards the end of summer and ruined our crop before I realized how badly they had infested. It seemed too late to employ the help of lady bugs, and honestly, my family was pretty burned out on leafy greens by that point in the season anyway. Consequently, the chickens got a bounty of treats.
This year however, I am staying on top of the situation from the beginning, and employing a method I can get behind; essential oils.
Our family already uses oils for their antibacterial, antifungal, and antiseptic properties in our home, so it is only natural that we carry that into the garden.
Mix 8 oz of water in a glass spray bottle with ½ teaspoon of natural soap (such as liquid castile); add 10-15 drops of essential oils based on which pest you are battling:
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- Ants: peppermint, spearmint,
- Aphids: peppermint, sandalwood, spearmint, white fir
- Beetles: peppermint, thyme
- Caterpillars: peppermint, spearmint
- Chiggers: lavender, lemongrass, thyme
- Cutworm: thyme
- Fleas: lavender, lemongrass, peppermint
- Flies: basil, clove, eucalyptus, lavender, lemon, lemongrass, melaleuca, patchouli, peppermint, rosemary, thyme
- Gnats: eucalyptus, patchouli, peppermint, spearmint,
- Mosquitoes: cinnamon bark, clove, eucalyptus, lavender, lemon, lemongrass, peppermint, spearmint, thyme
- Moths: lavender, peppermint, spearmint
- Slugs: white fir
- Snails: patchouli, white fir
- Spiders: citrus- lemon, lime, orange; lavender, peppermint, spearmint,
- Ticks: eucalyptus, geranium, lavender, lemongrass, melaleuca, thyme
- Weevils: patchouli, sandalwood
If in doubt, Peppermint and Lavender make an excellent insect repellant blend. I use about 10 drops of each along with ½ teaspoon of liquid castile soap.
Another great option in you use doTERRA oils is TerraShield. Follow the recipe above with an 8 oz spray bottle, 15 drops of TerraShield, a half teaspoon of soap and fill with water. Shake before each use and spray on plants. Since oils are powerful, you don’t want to over apply or under dilute. Make sure to spray the underside of the leaves as well as the tops, and keep an eye on both your plants and the pests. You may need to reapply often as the season progresses.
When ants covered my white dahlias last July, a mixture of peppermint and TerraShield diluted with water in a spray bottle took care of them in short order.
I’ve also heard talk that rosemary oil sprayed around the perimeter of the garden can help deter cats from entering. I’ll be adding that to my list to try this year as I don’t care to have my garden used as a litterbox!
If you are interested in learning more about the oils we use, or the company we purchase from, feel free to message us or click here. We’d be glad to share more information with you on how to grow a more natural and pest reduced garden!