Essential Oils for Garden Pests: Build Plants’ Protection Not Sacrificing Your Health!

In our era of harmful chemicals like pesticides, many gardeners have turned to use essential oils for garden pests as an organic alternative. But can we reach the same effect as with the conventional plant protectors? Even though essential oils are not so successful in removing pests like the synthetic variants, they effectively defend our vegetables and fruits, not at the expense of destroying our health.

What Essential Oils Keep Bugs Away from Plants in Garden?

Essential oils are famous for their numerous therapeutic qualities, enhancing human health. But some of them also gained popularity as essential oils for garden pests, or organic insecticides, protecting plants in gardens. What are they:

• Neem oil: This essential oil, derived from the neem tree, is an effective natural repeller. It deters a wide range of pests like bugs, aphids, caterpillars, and whiteflies. But it should be diluted before applying it on the affected plant.

• Citronella Oil: The gained popularity essential oil for its good repel qualities against mosquitoes, have also deterred effect against bugs and other insects in the garden. Dilute a few drops of this remedy in water and spray it around your plants to keep pests at bay.

• Eucalyptus Oil: This oil is appreciated for its strong scent, which deter a lot of insects. Eucalyptus essential oil has a powerful action, especially against aphids, beetles, and flies. Before to use it, you should dilute, not to harm your plants. Mix a few drops of eucalyptus oil with water and spray it on plants. Another possibility to benefit from its insecticidal property is to plant it around the garden, creating a protective barrier.

Does Lavender Repel Garden Pests?

Lavender is a well known fragrant herb, used long ago in cosmetics and medicine for its calming health effect on humans. However, it is not less useful as an organic insect repellent. The scent of lavender essential oil is an effective insecticide, used to drive away a number of garden pests. For instance, moths don’t like at all its fragrance. Therefore, when sprayed in the garden, this plant keeps moths away. You can also plant lavender near your vegetables or valued flowers, causing the moths to refuse to lay their eggs there.

The fragrance of this extraordinary flower is also a salvation against mosquitoes. So, planting it near garden seating places or spraying there, keep these insects away. Lavender is also helpful in repelling fleas and ticks. To save your pet from these parasites, dilute a few drops of lavender oil and spray on your dog’s or cat’s fur. It’s also possible to prepare sachets with dry plant and place in garden areas where these pests are hiding.

Read also: How to use lavender oil? 20+ practical uses for essential oil in everyday life

Essential Oils for Garden Pests: Peppermint

Peppermint oil is not only good for drinks, and for your restful sleep, but one of the most efficient repellent among essential oils for garden pests. There are some insects that can’t stand its presence in the garden, and escape:

1. Ants: The presence of these insects in your garden is often unwanted, and peppermint essential oil helps keep them away. Before to use it, dilute with water and spray in the problematic places which ants prefer.
2. Aphids: Feeding on sap of your plants, aphids damage them, but peppermint can save. So, make an oil-water solution and spray it on the foliage to repel aphids from your valuable plants.
3. Spiders: Many people can’t stand spiders to be in their homes or outdoor structures, so peppermint oil is here to help. Spray a water-peppermint oil solution in spots where these insects prefer to build their webs, and they will refuse to do so.

Read also: How to Get Rid of Aphids on Tomatoes: These Home Remedies Are the Fastest Help Against the Pests!

How Do I Apply Essential Oils to My Garden?

There is nothing difficult when it comes to applying essential oils to your garden. It’ll take you only a few minutes to do it, following the steps:

1. Dilution of the oil: These natural remedies are highly concentrated and should be diluted before to use. Follow the instructions on the product to know the proper dilution ratio.
2. Preparing the solution: Mix the diluted essential oil with water and pour in a spray bottle. Shake well for a good distribution of ingredients.
3. Make a small area test: Before applying the solution to all your garden, test it on a small spot with plants to see if there are any adverse reactions.
4. Spray chosen plants: Apply the diluted essential oil to the leaves, stems, and soil around the plants. Reapply when needed, especially after rain.

Essential oils offer an eco-friendly and natural way to repel garden pests. Experiment with different oils and find the ones that work best for your specific plants.