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What’s Bugging You?
Written By: Jeannie Chambers - The Accidental Gardener | Issue: 2018/07 - July
Ahhhh, the joys of a summer garden. You’ve put in some good gardening hours, and now it’s time to enjoy some of these longer days and admire your work. It’s all fun and games until you notice a big itchy whelp on your arm or leg, or the prize bloom has a frothy mess on it, or the leaves are riddled with holes.
Before you act on that impulse to mow it all down and cover yourself with Calamine lotion, maybe there’s another way. (Hint: there is always another way.) What if you could combat garden and other kinds of pests with a little taste of their own medicine? If you can fight fire with fire, you can always fight plant pests with plants. Instead of pestilence, we will win the war with pestless plants.
How, you may ask? (Oh, please ask.) By strategically placing pest detesting plants among our favorite plants. Here are some you should consider for your yard.
Marigolds – They’re not just a pretty face, they’re on a mission. Their roots contain the compound thiopene, which repels mosquitoes, ticks, squash bugs, and tomato worms, as well as deer and some of our four-legged family members.
Lavender – Bees love lavender, but deer don’t, and neither do moths, fleas, flies, and mosquitoes. You can harvest the stems full of dried flowers to keep all winter. Make a sachet by putting them in a pin-pricked envelope.
Lemongrass or Citronella Grass – Both of these grasses repel mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas. Citronella may also have a calming effect on dogs. Both plants are harvested the same way, and you can make tea with lemongrass. The way to tell the difference is the citronella grass has a reddish stem whereas the lemongrass stem is all green.
Catmint or Catnip – These plants from the same genus repel mosquitoes, ants, and roaches among other pests. The secret ingredient is nepetalactone, which is said to be 10 times more effective than DEET. Only 10-30 percent of cats do not respond to the deliriousness of the plant, but you may not want to plant them near other prized plants where cats (small or large) can wallow in them.
Other plants that work well at defending your yard against pests are: rosemary, basil, mints, chrysanthemums, feverfew, petunias, and garlic. Enjoy your garden without the pests.
