How to Keep Pests Out of Your Garden

Pests are always a nuisance to a gardener even if they are a little rabbit, a cutworm, or a fungus. Each will destroy your plants in a different way. You must take care of each differently. If you are an organic gardener, then you will not be able to use any types of pesticides. You must find natural, organic ways to repel these problematic creatures. There are some organically certified bug killers and repellants that you can purchase, but you may also get rid of them in different ways. A few different homemade organic bug spray recipes are listed here.

You might try these to naturally get rid of insects. A good natural way to get rid of troublesome bugs is to boil chopped onion and chopped garlic and some crushed red pepper in water for at least 15 minutes. Cool it and then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Dilute this solution by taking two tablespoons of it and mixing in a pint of water. All you do is spray it onto the plants. You can also grow plans that repel insects from the garden and you will not even have to worry about most insects. A few plants that repel insects are marigolds, spearmint, and catnip. There are many more than just these; a full list can be found here.

One of the best ways to repel animals is to make a hot solution for them. If you spray plants with a liquid that has pepper of some kind in it, it will deter the animals. A recipe for a solution is to mix a gallon of water with a couple of teaspoons each of ground cayenne pepper, Tabasco sauce, and Elmer's glue. All you do is spray the plants and it will keep the animals away. Another recipe, that has been around for years, is to mix together two eggs into one cup of water and then add a cup of milk and some soap. You then spray the plants and deer and many other animals will not eat the plants. A repellent for rabbits is to mix linseed oil with detergent and water and spray on plants. As you can see there are many natural but effective ways to repel and keep pests from eating your garden. Instead of using harmful chemicals, I would try some of the natural alternatives I mentioned first.

Moms Organic House, "Organic Insecticides." Moms Organic House. URL: (http://www.momsorganichouse.com/organic-insecticides/).

Bill Hodous, "Animal Repellents." North Dakota State University. URL: (http://www.ext.nodak.edu/county/ramsey/hort/trees/general/repellents.htm).