ESSENTIAL OILS: Certain essential oils, like peppermint or garlic oil, have shown some promise as animal repellents. However, be cautious as some essential oils can be harmful to plants and animals. Always research proper dilution rates for any essential oils you consider using.
NEEM PRECAUTION: Neem oil is toxic to fish and honeybees, even though it is organic and non-toxic to mammals, Set water sprayer setting MIST to gently deter honey bees away and thereafter apply neem. Avoid use near bodies of water, fish ponds, and aquariums.
DIATOMACEOUS EARTH PRECAUTION: Diatomaceous earth should only be used as is deemed necessary during plant fruiting stages or with severe pest problems. Bees may be harmed and killed by diatomaceous earth, the powder pulls moisture from their bodies, thus fatally dehydrating them.
WARNING: Chemical powders and sprays may cause skin irritation and may irritate or damage lungs if inhaled. Wear a mask and gloves for protection.
Gardening chemicals have caused many health issues, and require many years (sometimes 50 years or more) to dissipate. Organic methods are not as powerful and don’t kill every insect, however they do work well with perseverance and don’t contaminate our bodies or gardens with harsh chemicals.
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Pest Repelling Plants
Sweet Basil
(Essential Oil Basil)
Repels aphids, cabbage worms, flies, mosquitoes, and some tomato and squash pests.
Bee Balm
Repels mosquitoes, deer, and rabbit.
Catnip
Repels many insects including mosquitoes, flies, and even some rodents.
Chives
Repels aphids, carrot flies, thrips, slugs, snails, and some other insects.
Citronella
(Essential Oil Citronella)
Repels mosquitoes, bees, wasps, flies, specific ants, and specific ticks.
Chrysanthemums
(Essential Oil Chrysanthemum)
Repels beetles, roaches, leafhoppers, ants, aphids, flies, thrips, spider mites, nematoads, slugs, and snails.
Essential Oil Eucalyptus
Repels mosquitoes, roaches, spiders, ants, fleas, lice, flies, and ticks.
Garlic
Repels many insects including aphids, mites, beetles, mealybugs, slugs, and snails.
Geranium
(Essential Oil Geranium)
Repels mosquitoes, flies, aphids, caterpillars, moths, earworms, cabbageworms, and specific beetles.
Lavender
(Essential Oil Lavender)
Repels flies, mosquitoes, moths, and fleas.
Lemon Balm
Repels aphids, mosquitoes, gnats, flies, moths, and wasps.
Lemongrass
(Essential Oil Lemongrass)
Repels mosquitoes, roaches, spiders, ants, gnats, bedbugs, flies, and ticks.
Marigold
Repels aphids, nematodes, whiteflies, thrips, slugs, and snails.
Mint (Spearmint, Peppermint)
(Essential Oil Peppermint)
Repels many insects including ants, fleas, aphids, some beetles, moths, and rodents.
Pitcher Plant
Attracts and kills ants, moths, bees, flies, and wasps.
Nasturtium
Repel aphids, cabbage worms, squash bugs, flea beetles, and whiteflies.
Rosemary
(Essential Oil Rosemary)
Repels aphids, flies, moths, mosquitoes, fleas, and some beetles.
Sage
(Essential Oil Sage)
Repels cabbage moths, carrot flies, white flies, aphids, mealybugs, flea beetles, snails, and slugs.
Thyme
(Essential Oil Thyme)
Repels cabbage moths, corn earworms, tomato hornworms, caterpillars, aphids, fleas, and ants
Venus Flytrap
Attracts and kills grasshoppers, beetles, spiders, ants, flies, bees, moths, and wasps.
Vegan Botany 