Pest Control

Dogs, Deer, Slugs and Bugs, here are some effective ways to control and deter pests without compromising the environment around your home.
But before you spray, remember that 95% of insects in your garden are beneficial, even if they do eat a couple of lettuce leaves. Expecting a bug free garden is unrealistic, and attempts will result in an unhealthy garden and frustration.
Even though these methods are natural, some of them can be toxic to animals and children. Handle all solutions with care. Label the bottles and store them out of reach of kids and animals.

Insect Repellents

Paralyzing Salsa
Mix this up and spray it on your plants. It works well with most insects.

Ingredients:
2 pounds ripe, blemished tomatoes
1 pound fresh chili peppers
1 cup vinegar
1/2 tsp. pepper

Directions:
Combine the vegetables in a food processor or blender until liquefied.
Add the vinegar and pepper.
Strain the mixture through cheesecloth or coffee filters.
Pour the liquid in to a spray bottle
Spray the liquid directly on pests that you spot in the garden.

NOTE: This mixture can be irritating if it gets in your eyes or mouth. Don't spray it on windy days.

Garlic Extract
When sprayed on plants, this extract confuses insects.
NOTE: Beneficial insects also don't like garlic, so be selective about where you spray this.

Ingredients:
1/4 pound garlic
1 litre of water
4-5 drops of dish soap

Directions:
Place garlic cloves (unpeeled) in a blender with 1 cup of the water. Chop well
Add the rest of the water and dish soap. Blend until liquefied.
Strain the mixture through cheesecloth or coffee filters.
Store in a sealed glass jar.
Dilute 1 part extract with 10 parts water. Put in a spray bottle and spray plants that are under attack or are likely to come under attack.

Ants

Ants are attracted to nutritionally poor, dry soil, low in organic matter. If you increase the organic matter in your soil by top-dressing with compost, your soil will retain more moisture and the ant problem will take care of itself.

Other Remedies:

• Sprinkle red chili pepper at the point of entry.
• Make a syrup of 1 tbsp. sugar, 1 tbsp. Borax and 2 tbsp. water and place in flat dish near infestation.
• Douse the anthill with boiling water. Use a kettle--it's a safer way to transport boiling water to the site.

Aphids
This kills aphids and soft-bodied insects. It also repels ants.

Ingredients:
1 litre water
Rind from 1 lemon, orange or grapefruit

Directions:
Boil the water and add the grated lemon rind. Remove from the heat.
Steep the mixture overnight.
Strain the mixture and store in a spray bottle
Spray leaves that are being attacked by aphids or other soft bodied insects.

NOTE: The spray must come in contact with the insect to be effective.

Killer Cooking Oil
This is a potent insecticidal spray that works on aphids, whiteflies, and spider mites.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon liquid dish soap
1 cup vegetable oil

Directions:
Mix the two ingredients.
To make the spray, mix 1-2.5 teaspoons of the soap/oil concentrate with 1 cup water.
Spray both sides of leaves once a week.

NOTE: the oil can burn plants such as cabbage, cauliflower and squash. On these plants, use a lower concentration.

Slugs

Slug Traps
Slugs will literally drink themselves to death with beer.
Make a trap from a shallow lid or try this low profile trap: Cut a 1 litre pop bottle in half and insert the top half upside down into the bottom half. Pour 1/2 cup stale beer into the container and bury the bottom part of the bottle. Slugs will crawl in and drown. To clean the trap, just remove the top part and pour the contents on your compost pile. Refill with beer and replace in the garden.

Slug Dissolving Spray
This recipe works well on small slugs that are too small to hand pick.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups non-sudsing ammonia
1 1/2 cups water

Directions:
Pour the water and ammonia into a spray bottle. Shake gently to mix.
Spray the mixture on plants where small slugs appear to be active.

NOTE: The ammonia will not harm plants and breaks down into nitrogen.

Deer

Fishy Deer Deterrent
This spray deters deer from eating flowers and is good for the plant's health. The deer don't like the smell of fish and if they do take a bite, the taste of the soap clinches the deal.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons kelp
1 cup fish emulsion
3 tablespoons liquid hand soap
3 gallon sprayer or backpack

Directions:
Mix ingredients together and place in sprayer or backpack.
Fill with water.
Spray plants that are eaten by deer until the mixture drips off the leaves.
Re-apply every 7 to10 days or after heavy rain.

Smart Plant Repellants
Plant highly aromatic plants around the edges of your garden, or near plants that deer seem to really like. This confuses the deer and they end up not eating.

Suggestions:

• Mint
• Rosemary
• Lemon Thyme
• Obedient Plant
• Queen-Anne's Lace
• Clematis
• Blackberries
• Foxgloves
• Butterfly Weed
• Lamb's Ears
• Chameleon Plant

Dogs

Dog-be-gone Solution
Stop dogs from digging in your garden by pouring this solution in their favorite digging holes.

Ingredients:
1 clove of garlic (chopped)
1 onion (chopped)
1 litre warm water
1 teaspoon Tabasco Sauce
1 Tablespoon cayenne pepper

Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a large pail.
Allow it to steep overnight.
Using a small can, scoop the mixture out and dribble it where dogs are likely to lie.

NOTE: this also works if your dog is getting into your compost pile. After turning the pile, sprinkle it with the solution.

More Natural Pest Solutions are available at the following site:
Better Basic Bug Spray