The great outdoors is a breeding ground for all types of wildlife. Some of them coexist quite well with humans, but others can wreak havoc with gardens and landscaping. Here are a few helpful tips (and three handy recipes) for homeowners who don't want to share their greenery with any of Mother Nature's little interlopers.
Rose spray (aphids)
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Rose spray (black spots)
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Hot pepper spray
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- Reduce places for pests to hide by trimming bushes away from the house (figure A).
- Repair leaking water-hose gaskets; the moisture will attract insects.
- Moles and gophers hate human hair. Collect clippings from your hairdresser's salon and put them in the holes the pests inhabit; they'll leave immediately (figure B).
- Bug remedy for flowering plant pests: Mix 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda in 2 cups water; store in a labeled spray bottle. Spray on plants every five to seven days. The soda is abrasive to the bugs the way sand is to skin.
- Bug remedy for aphids on roses: Mix 1/3 cup powdered milk in 1 quart warm water and store in a labeled spray bottle. Spray on roses as needed; the solution sticks to the bugs, killing them (figure C). As an added bonus, it cleans the leaves of the rosebush, leaving them shiny. Store the mixture in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before spraying the bushes.
Bug remedy for pests nibbling plants: Mix 1 tablespoon red pepper or hot mustard in 2 cups warm water and store in a spray bottle. This hot-and-spicy spray deters pests from plants.
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