Defend Your Garden with Herbs

(Page 3 of 3)

June/July 2008
By Susan Belsinger and Tina Marie Wilcox  
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share
  • Soap-based sprays. Soap sprays adhere to leaf surfaces and damage pest’s cell membranes. Several commercial brands are available. Or, make your own using biodegradable soap as the base: 1½ teaspoons of castile, Basic H™ or Murphy’s Oil Soap™ added to 1 quart of water, along with about 8 drops of insecticidal essential oils. (See left.) We also include soap in our Garlic and Chile Insecticidal Soap Spray (click here for recipe).
  • Neem oil. Derived from the neem tree (Azadirachta indica), neem oil kills, repels and interferes with pests’ ability to reproduce. It won’t harm mammals and is easy on beneficial insects. (Click here to see our "Herb to Know" about neem.)
  • Horticultural oils. These oils work by smothering pests. Use the refined "summer" types (also known as superior or verdant oils) to control soft-bodied insects during the growing season, when the temperature is below 90 degrees. Use heavier dormant oil on deciduous plants in winter.

RELATED CONTENT

Ant-Repellent Herb and Soap Spray

Garlic and Chile Insecticidal Soap Spray 

— Tina Marie Wilcox is head gardener and herbalist at the Ozark Folk Center in AR. Contributing Editor and herbalist Susan Belsinger lives in Brookeville, MD.

Sources for natural pest control products:  Arbico Organics, (800) 827-2847, www.Arbico-Organics.com; Gardens Alive!, (513) 354-1482, www.GardensAlive.com; Planet Natural, (800) 289-6656, www.PlanetNatural.com.

Page: << Previous 1 | 2 | 3 |
Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

Comments

  • Anna Isgro 6/14/2008 11:32:28 AM

    In your online article, "Defend Your Garden with Herbs" (June/July 2008), your links to the garlic/chile soups don't work.

Add Your Comment

You can use this comment form to enter your personal experiences or additional information and resources that you'd like to share with Herb Companion readers. Your helpful advice will be posted on this page.  E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Herb Companion?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Pay Now & Save 50% off the Cover Price
First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here

Subscribe to The Herb Companion-

Your guide to the many uses and even more pleasures of nature's most helpful plants!

The Herb Companion is the smart and easy complement to your own healthy, vibrant lifestyle! In every issue you'll find information on using herbs to:

  • Transform simple dishes into spectacular meals
  • Make gardens as useful as they are beautiful
  • Replace harsh chemicals with natural alternatives
  • Help find fulfillment, balance and good health
  • And much more!

Yes, send me a one-year subscription (6 issues) to The Herb Companion. I'll pay just $19.95.

Save Even More Money By Paying NOW!

Pay now with a credit card and take advantage of our Earth-friendly automatic renewal savings plan. You save an additional $5.00 and get 6 issues of The Herb Companion for only $14.95 (USA only).