Friday, January 22, 2010

Eco friendly bug repellent for my plants?

Something is eating my marigolds and I need an eco friendly way to stop them!!! Homemade is preferable but commercial will be appreciated as well. Thank you!Eco friendly bug repellent for my plants?
You either have rabbits (for which you could use a fence which also goes somewhat below-ground), or perhaps pill bugs or slugs. Go out at night with a flashlight and do a little detective work, and you may catch them in the act.





If it's pill bugs or slugs... you could try putting out some beer in a shallow wide jar buried in the soil up to its neck. Slugs will crawl in and drown. Take the jar lid and prop it up with a small stick so rain won't dilute the beer. Leave space for slugs to enter the trap.


Or try diatomaceous earth, which is the sharp, jagged skeletal remains of microscopic creatures. It lacerates soft-bodied pests, causing them to dehydrate. A powdery granular material, it can be sprinkled around garden beds or individual plants, and can be mixed with water to make a foliar spray.





Diatomaceous earth is less effective when wet, so use during dry weather. Wear protective gear when applying, as it can irritate eyes and lungs. Be sure to buy natural or agricultural grade diatomaceous earth, not pool grade which has smoother edges and is far less effective.





There are a whole lot of ideas on slug control at http://www.eartheasy.com/grow_nat_slug_c鈥?/a>





You could also use one of the iron phosphate products (Slug-Go, Slug-Go Plus, Escar-Go, Organic Snail and Slug Killer) marketed as a snail and slug control, which also kills pill and sow bugs.

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