You are here: Home> Gardening > Pest & Problems: Garden Pests -Tips on Keeping Them Out of Your Home & Garden! Refer Pests come in all shapes and sizes, some of them are cute some are creepy crawlers. Its really best to prevent them from invading your space rather than eliminating them, as each species is necessary in the ecosystem. Do some research. Find out what the animal or insect dislikes the most and use it as a natural deterrent. Slugs Slugs and Snails: Snails are attracted to good old beer, just pour some in a dish set outside and they will drown in it. Try putting dog hair around your plants if they are bothered by slugs. To keep slugs out of your garden. Roll out a band of copper wire along the perimeter of your garden. Their slimy bodies get a small electrical charge if they try to cross--so they don't!

Ants Ants in the kitchen: To prevent ant from returning, place a few pieces of mint gum around point of infestation. They can't stand the mint! -Ordinary table salt sprinkled around most frequented areas acts as a good deterrent. - ground cinnamon is a good non toxic ant deterrent. -an equal mixture of baking soda and sugar sprinkled in the frequented areas will kill the ants. -borax and sugar mixed in equal parts will kill the ants. *Caution keep away from children and pets. To keep ants off your bigger flowers and shrub put tape around the trunk, sticky side out. Rabbits Hot Tabasco sauce on plants will keep rabbits out of the garden. Human hair will keep rabbits out of your garden!! Collect hair from your brushes and spread it around your garden! Mosquito Mosquito Remedy! Mix oil of citronella with Vaseline and apply to exposed areas. Japanese Beetles When Japanese beetles invade your garden, you can fight back with homemade traps. Use a plastic gallon jug with the top portion cut off as a container and fill it with the following bait: 2 cups of water, 1 mashed banana, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup wine, 1/4 tsp. baking yeast. Allow this mixture to ferment in a warm place and them put it in the garden. Beetles will find it irresistible. General Insect Repellents Spray plants with a solution of dishwashing soap and water to keep bugs off them. It is best to spray at night or early morning. Insect repellent - Make a solution of mint oil and rubbing alcohol, place in a spray bottle and spray yourself before any outings, the mint acts as a natural deterrent for most insects. Fleas indoors: Sprinkle Household Borax on your carpet and let sit for awhile. Vacuum up. Insect and Roach Exterminator! Mix the following: Borax, one pound; powdered sugar, 60 oz.; add one oz. cocoa powder and two oz. sodium fluoride. Mix well and sprinkle around places pests are known to frequent. Keep out of reach of children!

Author: © Copyright 2002 Arzeena Hamir Arzeena Hamir is an agronomist and President of Terra Viva Organics. Grow a healthy, pesticide-free garden for you and your family. Our site includes organic growing advice, organic fertilizers, natural pest controls, weekly tips, feature products, and a monthly newsletter.

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