Bug Herbal 101
Author: Demares
In the following article I have used essential oils either alone or in a blend of more than one, unless otherwise stated. You can use fresh or dried herbs in place of some of the essential oils, but then you will be making a garden tea, which is, simply put, herbs that have been steeped over a 24 hour period. Garden Teas are not nearly as pleasant smelling in your home as the essential oils, or as strong, but are still effective, although I choose to use the teas outside in my garden.
If you decide to use the Garden Teas instead of essential oils, I would simply place the tea into containers and place them where you need them, instead of spraying inside your home. Nothing here is harmful to children, pets, or household furniture, but, still use caution and common sense. Do not spray anything directly onto a child or pet, unless you know for certain they are not allergic or sensitive to certain herbs. This comprehensive list of items will help to rid the home and garden of the pests mentioned below.
So now onto the 'Cleansing'......enjoy yourself and the article!!
Getting Ready: This is what I want you to do. I want you to arm yourself with the following ingredients and tools!! No bug, insect, creepy crawlie, mosquito, fly, flea, rodent, aphid, slug, moth, gnats, plant lice, snail, caterpillar, ant, beetle, eel worm, tick, lice, nematode, weevil, cockroaches, bees, hornets, spiders or molds and fungi will ever come near you and yours ever again!! Ready??
Your Supply List:
One carpenters tool belt -- (with lots of pockets and cotton is fine)
3 spray bottles -- (650ml or approx. 4 cups each)
cotton balls and/or cotton strips -- (daring decor enhancers!)
peppermint essential oil -- (this smell keeps away mice and other insects)
spearmint essential oil
citronella essential oil (not synthetic) or lemongrass eo
sage essential oil
thyme essential oil
lavender essential oil -- (another smell mice and insects hate)
eucalyptus essential oil
red cayenne pepper -- (powder)
garlic essential oil or fresh crushed garlic in a jar -- (much better to use the crushed! If you have never used garlic essential oil, it is the most horrible smelling concoction and heaven forbid if you spill any! I don't think the smell would ever come out...*blech*)
bay leaves -- fresh or dried, if dried add a few drops of bay essential oil
water -- (tap water is fine, but don't use hot water, lukewarm is preferable, if your home is using well water you might want to opt for distilled or bottled water instead)
plastic baggies -- (for the cotton balls)
safety pins -- (if you use the cotton strips, just pin them to any branch you have handy, add the essential oils first, and as they waft in the breeze they will send a message that this property is off limits!)
Ice Tea -- (lots of ice and maybe a shot of vodka. Hey!!..Bug repelling isn't easy... *grin*)
Oh! and don't forget your hammer (it is a carpenters tool belt isn't it? Besides if you miss a bug or two and they are big enough....well you get the idea!!)
Mixing It Up:
You are going to make up each, of the three, spray bottles with the following blends:
1st bottle: peppermint eo (10 drops), spearmint eo (8 drops) and citronella eo (not synthetic) or lemongrass eo (5 drops) and water
2nd bottle: thyme eo (8 drops) , sage eo (5 drops) and lavender eo (10 drops) and water
3rd bottle: garlic eo (4 drops) or 2-3 cloves crushed or 1 tablespoon of fresh crushed from jar, 1 teaspoon of red cayenne pepper and water
Shake your bottles up really well, hang them from your new carpenters *cool* bug belt, load up on some cotton balls. Just put 4-6 drops of eo on the cotton ball, (pick one essential oil like peppermint or load them up with one of the blends above) and stick them in separate baggies, then into a pocket, put a few cotton strips with some safety pins in another pocket, your bay leaves in another baggie, gloves if you like and grab the iced tea!!
Get outside and spray everything insight, with all 3 bottles, (this will take some practice--most people can only spray with 2 bottles at first -- *wink*), spray the yard, the plants, the ground, the trees, the pots, the chairs, the table, the fence, old wood, new wood, swings (only use the garlic in and around your plants!!), etc..
Take your cotton balls and shove them into plant pots, garbage pails, underneath bushes and in the cracks of the sidewalk and foundation of your house. If you are using the cotton strips loaded with the eo's now will be your chance to decorate your yard (and keep the flying thingies away). Hang them from tree branches with the safety pins, or off your car aerial!
**NOTE** probably should restrict yourself with the garlic, to just the ground, like underneath plants, for slugs, snails and spiders!!
Now go into the house----DO NOT bring the garlic spray bottle inside.... leave it outside or somewhere safe..ick!! (unless you have a cement basement with crawlies...then you can use the garlic down there). Now with your other 2 bottles (by now this should be childs play), spray everything in the house!!
Spray in and out of cupboards, linen closets, rugs, chairs, door jambs, laundry hampers, the kids rooms (eeek!!), bathroom, curtains, garbage pail, etc. Now grab some more cotton balls and shove them into the cupboards, closets, plant pots, the crack in between the stove and counter, behind the fridge, and so on!!.. If you are still using the cotton strips...hang them decoratively from your windows and ceiling fans....wow!! fashion statement here!! You can also use any of the blends in a pail full of water and wash your floors and walls with it, (not the garlic!). This is perfect for not only bugs but getting rid of germs, especially when someone in the home is sick, but, honestly, everything just smells so wonderful after you spray the house, you won't care if it kills germs or not!
And you are done!! Your house smells fantastic! The breeze is wafting in a wonderful scent from the garden....and if you look carefully.....no Bugs!!..Give yourself a pat on the back, a good cup of tea and a wee bit of chocolate! You have done an excellent job!
**NOTE** these sprays will not harm or damage, any fabrics or furnishings that I know of!! I have been using the essential oil sprays in my home for a number of years and nothing has ever stained. I would control myself with silks, just in case!...Spot check those areas you are unsure of! If you have a pet that has fleas, use the peppermint/lavender eo's mixed in regular table salt, and sprinkle your carpet with it, leave on over night and then vacumn. The salt and eo's will kill the eggs and fleas. On the pet, simply sprinkle salt onto the fur and brush through. Repeat this procedure for at least a week daily.
I do the bug cleansing approximately every 6 weeks throughout bug season, but in between those times I always have a spray bottle handy filled with water and 15 drops peppermint eo and 10 drops lavender eo. This combination is perfect for refreshing your home, disinfecting, and keeps a large number of bugs away! On top of that, it smells heavenly!
Cockroaches:
Toss bay leaves (fresh or dried) and eucalyptus oil on cotton balls in your cupboards, nooks and crannies!!....yes, I know, the other cotton balls are already in there!! Oh well..no worries...at least you will be bug free!! (one scent will not cancel out the other scent).
Bees:
to make bees take to a new hive, soak the following blend onto a piece of material and find someone really brave to rub the inside walls of the hive or do what I do and get the longest stick you can find (about 30ft ought to do it), attach the material to the end of the big stick and veeeery carefully shove it into the hive (go at night!!), and then, run like heck to the closest body of water!!
Here is the Bee blend:
1 drop Hyssop eo
1 drop Fennel eo
1 drop Thyme eo
1 tablespoon of warm water
Moulds and Fungi:
Use 4 drops of Tea Tree eo and 2 drops of cinnamon eo in 4 litres of water, (that is a bit more than 4 quarts or a little over a gallon) and attach to a sprayer on your hose and spray everything in your yard (you should know the drill by now!!), if you don't have a sprayer, use a watering can or spray bottle, just takes a wee bit longer.
Garden Teas:
You can also use garden teas in spraying equipment! Elderflower tea discourages moulds on everything, while chive tea is particularly good with the grey, dusty mould that blights the delicate rose. Nettle tea treats mildew on cucumbers and horsetail tea helps to protect the plant against many types of fungus due to high silica.
Garden Teas: How to's
Herb and Flower;
Use 1 cup of dried or 2 cups fresh herb or flower to 2 cups of water.
Boil the water, pour on to the plant material and leave to stand for at least 4 hours. Strain off the liquid and store. Use 2 tablespoons of this tea diluted in 4 litres (that 4 quart thingie again) of water in a watering can or garden sprayer.
For a more concentrated tea, fill a jar or pail with the herb or flower material, cover with boiling water, leave to stand overnight, strain off and use as above.
**NOTE** older plants are not as effective in Garden Teas, use younger plants!
The Finale:
There that is it!! You are now on your way to being the only house and yard on the block with no creepy crawlies, rodents or flying kamikaze's ...you did it!! Now continue to do this a few times a day, for at least a week or until all of the critters have found a new home!! (this will probably be your neighbors yard-- hope you are not good friends with them!!)
Source: Coven Of The White Lotus
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