Let’s Talk Pests
The bane of many a gardener, landscaper, and homeowner – Florida is home to a plethora of garden pests. Their presence is virtually impossible to prevent (even more difficult to remove) and can range from mild nuisances to some downright destructive bugs. Harsh chemicals and pesticides are often viewed as the only way to deter these pests despite being potentially harmful to the very plants you’re trying to protect. Fortunately, eco-friendly gardening solutions for dealing with pests do exist. Here are four effective natural repellents that you can safely use for your Florida garden or lawn.
Effective Natural Repellents
Neem Oil
This natural ingredient can be found in many commercially-sold pesticides and is highly effective when used on its own. An ancient ingredient used for centuries in Southern Asia and India, neem oil is derived from the Azadirachta Indica tree.
With both pesticidal and anti-fungal properties, a neem oil-based homemade pesticide is effective at removing over 200 species of leaf-chewing garden pests such as mites, aphids, mealybugs, and whiteflies, while preventing common garden fungi such as root rot, black spot, mildew, and more. To use: mix one teaspoon of neem oilwith a one-third teaspoon of a mild soap with one quart of water.
Herbs
These pretty-smelling (and often delicious) plants are good for far more than lawn decoration. Many of the herbs that can be commonly found in the kitchen are noted to be effective natural repellents.
Why? Bugs can’t stand the smell.
Keeping lavender as a houseplant or in your lawn will naturally deter mosquitoes, moths, flies, and fleas. Some other strong smelling plants like basil, thyme, and garlic are great options as well. The delightfully pungent rosemary herb will keep those dreaded slugs, snails, and cabbage moths from munching on leaves of lower hanging plants.
Caffeine
Put your coffee habit to good use by saving used coffee grounds to use as a natural pesticide. As a central nervous system stimulant, when taken in small doses, caffeine is the energy-giving substance we’ve come to know and love; however, caffeine is fatal for insects.
Caffeine causes over stimulation of their nervous systems and resulting in paralysis and death, shortly after that. To use as a pesticide, simply add used coffee grounds into your soil or create a mixture with water that can be sprayed to deter snails, slugs, cats and even deer effectively!
Chrysanthemums
These flowers provide beautiful bursts of colors in flower beds, so it can be hard to imagine that such pretty florals could be such effective bug killers. The key ingredient that acts as a natural pesticide is pyrethrum, which works wonders against many common garden pests: Japanese beetles, root-knot nematodes, spider mites, harlequin bugs, ants, roaches, ticks, lice, fleas, bedbugs, and silverfish. Incidentally, a biodegradable Chrysanthemum-based spray is what SWAT Mosquito Systems®️ uses for our mosquito repellent systems.
We firmly believe in family-friendly and eco-friendly methods of insect repellents that are just as effective as artificial counterparts.
With our one-of-a-kind mosquito misting system, we have been effectively eliminating mosquitoes, no-see-ums, flies and other pesky insects that bother South Florida residents for years. Give us a call today to learn what SWAT Mosquito Systems®️ can do for you and your home – when we move in, bugs move out!