Organic gardening can be difficult - attempting to keep pesky bugs out of the garden while ensuring the pollinators are welcome - all without the use of pesticides - can be very time consuming! Thankfully there are a number of essential oils to help with your garden, and you can sleep better knowing you didn't have to resort to the use of chemical-laden pesticides. Here are my own go-to essentials when it comes to using in the garden:
GARDEN RECIPES:
To Attract Pollinators: Add Lavender or Lemongrass essential oils to an 8oz spray bottle. Fill the rest of the bottle with water and shake well to combine. Spray on flowers, buds to attract pollinating insects.
For a Pest Control: Add 20 drops of essential oil (see table below) & 1 oz of liquid castile soap in a 4 oz glass spray bottle. Slowly add 3 oz of water. Shake well to combine. Spray onto the soil around your plants. Or - Soak the essential oil into a few cotton balls and place around the garden.
Controlling Fungus: Tea Tree oil kills fungus: Dilute essential oil in water and spray over growing fungus. It also will prevent fungus from growing back.
Ready to use essential oils in your garden? Find them here.
Insect | Essential Oil to Use |
Ants | Peppermint, Citrus oil (such as Orange or Lemon), Tea Tree, Clove. A good mix of each of these oils will eliminate the chemical trail ants produce - citrus in particular has a chemical toxic to ants. |
Aphids | Cedarwood, Peppermint, Tea Tree, Rosemary - Be sure to spray on affected leaves to get rid of adults and any larvae. |
Beetles | Peppermint, Thyme |
Fleas | Peppermint, Cedarwood, Lemongrass - use in your garden not directly on your pet - there are other recipes to safely use on your dogs or cats. |
Flies | Peppermint, Lavender, Rosemary, Sage, Eucalyptus |
Gnats | Patchouli, Spearmint, Eucalyptus |
Lice | Cedarwood, Lavender, Tea Tree, and Lemongrass (excellent for your chicken coop too!) |
Moths | Cedarwood, Lavender, Peppermint, Spearmint |
Cabbage Moths | Rosemary |
Slugs & Snails | Cedarwood (undiluted drops added into to your mulch or wood chips) |
Spiders | Peppermint, Spearmint (using cotton balls and placing in the corners of your house also helps keep spiders away!) |
Ticks | Sage, Thyme, Lavender, lemongrass (for use in your garden - there are other recipes for tick repellent you can use directly on your dog or cat) |
Weevils | Cedarwood, Patchouli, Sandalwood |
Tomato Worm | Tea Tree, Citronella, Lemongrass, Peppermint (also I recommend planting basil around your tomatoes to help). |
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