May 28, 2011 - New things I though of are added in red.
June 16, 2011 - Made a change to the cat section.
Pest Tips
June 16, 2011 - Made a change to the cat section.
Pest Tips
Deter
Rabbits
Blood meal keeps rabbits away, but attracts dogs.
Mothballs repel rabbits. I have found that the squirrels take them.
Pieces of garden hose cut into lengths of a few feet long are said to resemble snakes and keep rabbits away.
Animal fat painted on young trees will keep rabbits from chewing the bark.
Ants
Catnip leaves will keep black ants away, but attracts cats.
Peppermint planted near shrubs will keep red ants away.
Grits sprinkled around the ant whole works really well. The bigger the ants the better it seems to work. Once it is wet it doesn't work. I have also found that after about 4 or 5 days they don't pick it up anymore and I have to put fresh Grits out. I have tried, Malt-O-Meal, Cream of Wheat, Wheatena, and Wheat Hearts. Those did not work.
Cabbage Butterfly, Cabbage Moth
Cabbage Butterfly, Cabbage Moth
Cover the heads of broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower with tulle (bridal netting) to keep the cabbage butterfly from laying eggs on the plant.
Corn Earworms
Place a few drops of mineral oil on the silk when it starts to dry and turn brown. Do not do this earlier or the corn will not get pollinated and kernels will not develop. Do this weekly for about 3 weeks.
Cucumber Beetle
Radishes planted with cucumbers help keep the cucumber beetle away. Don’t remove the radishes until you remove the cucumber plant.
A small can (tuna size) filled ¾ full of water and a few drops of vegetable oil will attract cucumber beetles to it.
Grind hot red peppers and place around eggplants and rub on their leaves to keep pest away.
Earwigs
A small can (tuna size) filled ½ full with vegetable oil will attract earwigs to it.
Place a rolled up section of damp newspaper where they are in the evening and they will crawl into it. Carefully pick it up in the morning and dispose of it. Repeat as needed.
Place a rolled up section of damp newspaper where they are in the evening and they will crawl into it. Carefully pick it up in the morning and dispose of it. Repeat as needed.
Gophers
Gophers are deterred by scilla, also known as squill, Flowers. All parts of this plant are poisonous.
Nematodes
Marigolds grown in the same spot for 2 or more years will control nematodes.
Dogs
Calendula also known as Pot Marigold planted next to evergreens will repel dogs.
Cats
Place mothballs in areas were cats like to use you soil as a bathroom. The squirrels have taken mine in the past.Red hot pepper flakes and black pepper work too. Once it rains all of the thing you put down will have to be replaced. Tried the red hot pepper flakes the first week of June and it didn’t work in my yard (so much for internet help).
Mice
Cats
Place mothballs in areas were cats like to use you soil as a bathroom. The squirrels have taken mine in the past.
Mice
Dried mint leaves repels mice.
Squash Bugs
Nasturtium flowers help keep away squash bugs. Toads will eat squash bugs.
Various Rose Bugs
Garlic planted next to roses keep rose bugs away.
Wasps
Cut the top 1/3 of a 2 liter soda bottle off. Turn it upside down and place it in the remaining bottle. Match cut edges and tape them together. Make holes near the top of newly shaped bottle and add a string for hanging. Add a small piece of raw hamburger and about one inch of apple juice to the bottle. The wasps will go in and not be able to get out. Keep adding apple juice as it evaporates. I haven’t added new hamburger and it seems to work just fine. See drawings at the bottom of this page.
Birds
Keep birds out of fruit trees by hanging old CDs from string around the outside branches. You can also buy shiny ribbon and hang it. Use anything sparkly or shiny that will move in the wind.
Aphids
Put 2 to 4 big handfuls of Epsom Salt around each plant and water until most of it is dissolved.
Attract
Honeybees
Boil ½ cup sugar in 2 cups of water. Stir until dissolved. Let cool and dilute with one gallon of water. Spray the plant. This will attract honeybees, insuring pollination and resulting in a bumper crop of cucumbers. This kills nematodes by drying them out too.
Toads
Toads will eat most bugs. They will eat squash bugs. Provide a dark, cool, and damp covered place for them and a dish of fresh water and they will stick around.
Wasp Trap
