How to kill bugs without poison

Image via Wikipedia

How to kill bugs - or how to keep them at bay - has probably been an important question since the dawn of the humankind.

It still is and as going green is becoming more and more powerful trend by the day, no-poison methods are consequently sought after, used and appreciated more than ever.

Video below provides quite a few ways to kill bugs without using any kind of chemical poison.

How To Kill Bugs Without Poison on Howcast

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How to keep deer away

Photo "Deer, Oh Deer..." - courtesy of law_keven

Probably everyone agrees that deer is a beautiful animal, a pure joy to see when grazing on the edges of woods and pastures and mountain slopes.

Unfortunately, every home owner's feelings of joy can quickly turn into disappointment if this same graceful visitor of one's yard starts munching on the beautiful plants in our carefully planned and maintained backyard.

There are some plants that deer dislike but to protect most of them, we better quickly find out how to keep deer away.

How about an easy, affordable and effective solution, made from natural and food based ingredients, OMRI Listed® and approved for organic gardening by the USDA's National Organic Program?

Havahart® Deer Off® II 

 

The video below will show you how easy Deer Off®II is to use, no matter how big or small your yard.

NEW! Deer Off® II Battery-Powered Sprayer, RTU - also repels rabbits and squirrels - working two ways: by taste and odor. If the critter gets past the odor, it'll be repelled by the taste.

This is the first repellent on the market with a battery-powered sprayer, making application easy and hand fatigue a thing of the past - and therefore also very suitable for large lawns.

Its formula is weather-resistant, lasting up to 90 days, should not leave a visible film or residue - and will not change the color of plants or foliage.

Deer Off® II Battery-Powered Sprayer new formulation contains 4 times more of the active ingredient, dries odorless to humans - and is made in the U.S.A.



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Foundation planting

Did you know that keeping your plants away from your home's foundations actually very much improves the air flow and at the same time discourages pests?

Instead of creating flower beds around the foundations, place them along the property perimeter and lay pebbles, crushed shell or even pavement all around the house.





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Neem Tree (Azadirachta indica)

Native to India, where it's said to start growing in every unexpected place imaginable, neem tree is now being grown around the world for its medicinal properties. Azadirachta indica is fast growing and every part of this 'village pharmacy' can be used and it has been, for thousands of years.

Neem tree is beautifully shaped and is great as a shade tree (see photo below).

Neem is propagated by seeds (photo below) and will grow in pots, protected from frost in colder climates. However, its seeds are only viable for about thirty days or so which means that fresh seeds are a must.

Another word of warning for potted plants: they will only grow as big as their space in pots allows them. So, choose the biggest planter you can still handle for your neem tree.

Although in nature Azadirachta indica handles easily a wide range of growing conditions - from extra dry in Sahara Desert to extra humid and salty of Florida Keys - neem prefers the following when grown in pots:

• humus from your compost pile or premium potting soil mix from the nursery
• perfect drainage
• fish emulsion weekly
• balanced organic fertilizer monthly during the growth period
• as much natural light as possible during the day and artificial light during winter or your tree will stop growing
• there are only two things that could trouble your neem plant but they are both related to overwatering: slugs and root rot

More amazing facts about the neem tree:

• in optimal growing conditions it will grow up to ten feet per year
• it is hardy enough to survive without natural light for months
• sculpturers know that neem wood is rodent-proof, termite-proof and great to work with
• in U.S. or internationally you can purchase Neem Tree seeds, seedlings or two-year-old plants online (click the link)
• in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan neem twigs are used daily for tooth-brushing which is probably one of the earliest and one of the most effective forms of dental care

A Cornerstone of the Ayurvedic Tradition

• anti-bacterial
• anti-viral
• anti-parasites
• antidote for snake bites
• natural pesticide, equally effective in repelling pests that affect plants and humans - repells about 200 pests!

Photo above: neem blossom

Photo below: neem fruit, filled with sweet liquid



Learn more about neem in this amazing video below.

Find out more on how to use neem oil as an insect repeller HERE (opens a new window).

Photo above: beautiful neem sunset

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How To Pest-Proof Your Yard Naturally

Some neat ideas to keep certain pests at bay - without using toxic chemicals.





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Parsley as Companion Plant

In one of my sources I found an interesting information:

Parsley is supposed to repel asparagus beetles in the
vegetable garden. If you're looking for protection from
these garden pests - adding some parsley plants might be
your cheapest and most environmentlly-friendly solution.



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