Natural Pest Control - The Frugal Way

Natural pest control is better for the environment and your wallet too. Keeping pests under control in and outside your home can be an expensive day-to-day expense.

I know this, as I am unlucky enough to be constantly plagued with either ants in our home or slugs in our garden and if I don't keep on top of the situation I can quickly find myself over run with them.

So I have some handy household hints and advice for keeping the little pests under control the natural and cheap way.

Natural pest control for your frugal home

Flies - Have small pots of basil growing around your home to prevent flies. Another option is to put lemon and orange peel into containers around your home, (make it look attractive with some added petals etc to make a homemade pot porri). Ant can be controlled with natural pest control methods picture by Jeff Kubina on flickr

Ants -

Leave cucumber peel on window ledges in the kitchen to deter these pesky creatures.
Wash cabinets with a solution of vinegar and water.
Cinnamon or salt sprinkled around the outside or your doors also keeps ants away.

Weevils - Place a bay leaf in pots containing flour and cereal to keep weevils out.

Moths - Place mint teabags inside wardrobes and clothes cupboards.

Mice -

Plant peppermint plants around the outside of your home. The scent of the plants helps to deter mice from entering your home.
Keep all dry goods inside sealed containers.

Natural pest control for your frugal garden

Aphids - the best way to control the spread of aphids is to attract ladybirds to your garden. Create homes for the ladybugs to live in by placing flat pieces of corrugated cardboard in layers on top of each other to create a honeycombed affect, perfect for our little red friends. Plant Parsley, white clover and sweet fennel to attract the ladybirds to your garden.

Slugs and snails -

Bury a yoghurt carton into the ground with the lip just above the surface and place a small amount of beer in the bottom. This remedy has worked really well for me, the worst part is empting the slugs out every day.

Place crushed eggshells around your plants to deter the slugs from them.

Spiders - Put a few drops of Citronnella in a spray bottle with water. Spray the corners of your room and around door and window frames. I found that the amnount of spiders that came into the house after using this spray reduced to almost zero. It was brillient.

Home made insecticide - A great natural pest control alternative to buying toxic chemicals for your garden is to make your own non-toxic insecticide. Melt a bar of ivory soap in two cups of water over night. Add to the mixture ¼ cup of corn oil and use in a spray bottle at the top and bottom of your infested plants.

Natural planting - A lot of pests are deterred by certain plants, so by planting them around and in between your other plants will provide a natural barrier. Plants to use are: