Most of us have to deal with
pesky critters that want to cohabit with us. Here are a few do it
yourself pest control ideas that you can try out to keep them away.
No matter how clean you keep your home or how new your house may be, pest
infestation is bound to happen. Pests like roaches, termites, beetles,
ants, ticks, spiders, earwigs, bees, and rodents are usually drawn to
homes because of the warmth, shelter and food. While some pests may be
merely annoying, some others, like rats, carry disease, while some
others, like certain kinds of spiders, can be poisonous.
And as
for termites, these can devour through all your wooden structures,
causing you thousands of dollars in damage. However, hiring a
professional exterminator to get rid of pest infestation in the home can
be an expensive affair, hence more and more people are opting for do it yourself pest control.
Before
turning to insecticides, however, there are a few pest prevention
methods you can use to limit infestation. One of the most important ways
to reduce the populations of insects in your home is by cutting off the
very things they come for, the food, shelter, and water.
Organic Pest Control Advantages
The use of organic pest control
in gardening has become a popular idea again nowadays among many
farmers and gardeners who thinks that modern chemical pesticides has a
higher risk of producing ...
For example, see that you store your
trash in containers that have lids which fit tightly. As soon as crumbs
fall anywhere or there are spills, clean them up promptly. When you
vacuum, make sure to do it thoroughly, particularly in cracks and
crevices. If there are any leaks, fix them, in order to prevent insects
seeking the moisture.
Don't stack boxes, wood, or paper near or in
your home. If you have a garden, or plants in your house, keep the
vegetation manicured and allow plenty of ventilation and sunshine. Seal
all the cracks and holes around your house to prevent insects from
getting entry inside. A cockroach needs just 1/16 of an inch of space to
hide. When bringing in boxes, furniture and the like into your home,
make sure that they are not harboring any insects.
Basically, you
need to deal with the problem before it becomes unmanageable. Generally,
people don't do anything about pests until they begin overrunning the
place. The more you procrastinate about pest control, the more difficult
it will be to do it yourself.
Also, it is a good idea to learn
about the particular type of pest problem you have. For example, if it
is cockroaches that are the problem, you need to find out what will work
best to get rid of them. You will find a lot of resources on the
Internet that will help you to formulate a good strategy and choose
products to deal with your pest control problem.
For example, there are many homemade, non-toxic organic pesticides
that you can find out about that you can use. Many chemical pesticides
are very harmful, hence it is always safer to opt for non-toxic
remedies.
Given below are a few safe, natural pesticides that you
can make at home which can work against just about anything, from
getting rid of insects to killing fungus, mold or mildew, and
exterminating pests:
Garlic is very good as an organic pest control ingredient in the garden, it is also a natural insect repellant and pesticide.
Garlic
Spray: Put two tablespoons of mineral oil in a bowl and add 3 or 4
ounces of finely chopped garlic bulbs into it. Let it soak for a day.
Dissolve one teaspoon of fish emulsion in one pint of water and mix this
into garlic and mineral oil mixture. Strain this liquid and then store
it in a glass container (do not use a metal container). When you want to
use it, dilute one part of the solution to 20 parts of water. This
kills mosquitoes, onion flies, and aphids.
Garlic as an insect repellant and pest control:
- Planting garlic along with tomatoes keeps red spider mites away.
- Borers will get repelled by planting garlic around fruit trees.
- If you apply garlic spray on sweet potatoes it will keep the rabbits away from them.
- Spray the garlic pesticide on ponds in order to kill mosquitoes.
Tomato
Leaf Insect Spray: Crush some tomato leaves in a vegetable juicer and
add 4-5 pints of water along with one tablespoon of cornstarch. Strain
this liquid and store in the fridge, using it according to requirement.
Some of the
best botanical pesticides are: Rotenone (extracted from cube and derris), Neem, Sabadilla, and Pyrethrin.
Garden
pests can be controlled with
insecticidal soap. It is very effective
against aphids, flea beetles, spider mites, mealybugs, whiteflies, and
thrips, and sometimes even leafhoppers and caterpillars. It becomes more
potent when mixed with Rotenone. Insecticidal soap only works when
applied directly, hence you need to spray it directly on the pest. It is
also effective against powdery mildew, if it is combined with botanical
or horticultural oils.
Mint and onion are excellent as repellants against bugs, fleas and beetles.
Pyola
is a natural insecticide which contains canola oil and pyrethrins. It
is effective against squash bugs, aphids, and beetles. Since most of the
canola oil in the US is made from genetically engineered canola,
growers of organic vegetables ought to check it out before using.
Boric
Acid, also known as Borax, is very good against cockroaches, ants,
ticks, fleas, termites, and many other insects. It is also an effective
biocide and fungicide, especially when it is combined with hydrogen
peroxide, and kills mold and fungus, including the toxic black mold.
Note: Be cautious when using broad spectrum pesticides. Try and target only pests, so that you do not kill beneficial insects.
Natural Pest Control
It is a fact of life that insects exist, and that they go to where the food is.
Natural Pest Control for the Garden
Bugs: Most pests can be removed from plants with a spray of water in which you soak tobacco.
Creatures That Help With Organic Pest Control
Controlling pests organically is a problem for many gardeners, but you
can get a little help from your garden friends with this important
aspect of gardening.
Pest
Control is always foremost in our minds around the end of spring and
the beginning of summer when we see the pests come out in mass. There
are several types of methods for best control including electronic pest
control.
