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Agrichemist’s solutions

INSECT REPELLENT - the aromatic way
I remember when I was little, going through my Grandma’s cupboards, and
finding these scented sachets. They had a fusty smell of lavender, bay leaves,
cloves, rosemary, thyme and pine. Of course, I learnt eventually that they were
used to repel moths, and although the use of sachets might have gone out of
fashion the working principle behind their use is still effective. Certain scents
deter insects. It can save you a lot of time and money employing a few of our
ancestor’s tricks rather than calling in a fumigator.
There are many ways to repel insects naturally, whether it is in your house or garden, and
a variety of commercial products are usually available for exactly that purpose, and more
often than not, the active ingredient is citronella. Many insects don’t like the smell of
citronella, citrus, peppermint, eucalyptus, garlic, basil or tea tree, and even if you don’t have
the essential oils lying around, there’s bound to be a plant or two that you can harvest a few
leaves from. It might even be an incentive to add a few of these plants to the garden.
Citronella oil (Lemongrass) deters many inects but the oil evaporates fast. Candles work well
Rose geranium oil is an extremely potent tick repellent
Sweet orange oil repels gnats, head lice, moths, silverfish, spiders, ticks, and weevils
Tea tree oil - mosquitoes, ants, bed bugs, and other biting or stinging insects
Peppermint oil - ants, aphids, cockroaches, fleas, fruit flies, gnats, head lice, moths, spiders,
stink bugs, and wasps
Eucalyptus oil - repels mosquitoes, sandflies, midges and ticks
Catnip oil - is said to be really effective at repelling mosquitoes
Clove oil - repels ants, flies and moths
Bay oil - repels large insects like wasps and cockroaches
Chili oil - repels spider mites, aphids, lace bugs, and leafhoppers
Burning sage - deters mosquitoes too
Lastly, plant marigolds and basil in the garden to repel a variety of bugs and enjoy a little
relief from being pestered! Text by S.C Photos by Pixabay

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