By now, you have hopefully got a lot of very happy looking seedlings planted out in your garden, enjoying the warm weather. But if you’re like me, one day you are checking up on your lovely plants and there they are… aphids!
I don’t use chemicals in my garden, which makes it a lot harder to keep pests controlled but here are some natural ways I have found that have worked for me over the years:
Get an old toothbrush and brush the blighters off.
Vacuum them off with a hand-held vacuum cleaner.
Hose them off with a strong jet from the hose.
Make garlic spray.
Garlic spray
1 head of garlic
2 cups boiling water
1 Peel and mash the garlic.
2 Place it in a large jar and cover with boiling water.
3 Screw on the lid and leave to set overnight. Strain, then freeze 1 cup for later.
Insect Bite Oil
I’ve been getting back into using my essential oils again. It’s so much fun blending different perfumes together and, in this case, using them to deter insects in the summer.
I’m always very keen to stop people spraying themselves with chemicals so I always have a bottle of this natural alternative handy.
5ml jojoba oil
5ml lavender oil
2.5ml eucalyptus oil
2.5ml lemongrass oil
2.5ml patchouli oil
50ml vodka
Combine all in a spray bottle and shake well before applying. Do not spray on the face.
Tip: Keep a peppermint plant in your house to rid yourself of creepy crawlies!
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