By: Judy Barrett
There is something about herbs that is repellant to most insect pests. They don't like to eat herbs and they don't like to smell them. You can take advantage of this by inter-planting all your gardens with herb plants. Almost all herbs are good for discouraging insect pests, because almost all herbs have strong scents. Some are particularly repellent to particular insects.
Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis: One of the most popular herbs, rosemary leaves that are dried and powdered are used as a flea and tick repellent. Dust the powder around where your pet sleeps.
Tansy, rue and anise are good at repelling aphids, a perennial garden pest. Chamomile and hyssop will help discourage cabbage moths on your cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli. Basil and dill planted near your tomato plants will help keep tomato hornworms away and encourage your tomatoes to grow steadily. Dill and fennel are also good food plants for butterflies, particularly the swallowtail. They lure the caterpillars from other plants you'd rather not have gnawed.
English Pennyroyal Mentha pulegium: A small-leaved herb that has spikes of lavender flowers, pennyroyal is a member of the mint family and tends to sprawl rather than grow upright. Ground pennyroyal is one of the most effective tick deterrents available. Dust powder made from the leaves around areas where the pet sleeps and plays. The plant makes a good ground cover and grows well in hanging baskets.
If you're having problems with beetles and squash bugs on your squash and cucumbers, plant mint, oregano or tansy nearby. Catnip and savory will discourage flea beetles and bean beetles on your bean plants and parsley and rosemary will keep carrot flies away from your carrots.
Inside the house, you can used dried herbs to make fragrant potpourri or sachets that will repel insects in the closet or storage chests. Mint, rosemary, rue, tansy, thyme, wormwood, southernwood, lavender, pennyroyal and lemon geranium are all excellent at repelling moths that would get into your winter clothes. Put the dried herbs in a cloth bag that is loosely woven enough to let the air circulate and let it hang from a hanger in the closet or tuck it into a drawer or chest for the summer. When it comes time to get out your winter clothes, they'll smell good and be moth-free.
Epazote Chenopodium ambro-siodes. This annual plant is used in much Southwestern cooking, particularly in bean recipes, but you can also make a strong tea from the plant and use the water to wash floors and porches to repel insects and larvae.
If you thought herbs were just for soup, think again. They serve a variety of purposes in every room of the house and throughout the garden. They are easy to grow and a delight to enjoy. Add more herbs to the garden today!
Homegrown, P.O. Box 524, Taylor, TX 76574
512-365-5154
Email: judy@hoegrowntexas.com
