Herbal Pest Control

herb: Cayenne pepper

Track down point of entry and sprinkle liberally
Pennyroyal is also reported to work

Spearmint, Southernwood, Tansy were often planted around the foundation of old houses because ants do not like to pass through them. Ants also dislike catnip, and if you can keep it sprinkled along the ant path it will encourage the ants to leave.

Non herbal
Flour and Borax. Mix 1 cup flour and 2 cups borax in a quart jar. Punch holes in the jar lid. Sprinkle the contents around the house foundation. Keep borax out of the reach of children and pets.

Some also recomend cream of tarter powder, salt or sage near the problem area.

herb: Southernwood, Eucalyptus or cypress oil, Fresh walnut or eucalyptus leaves, sprigs of pennyroyal, Rosemary, fresh pine needles, cedar shavings.

Scatter freely about house.
Soak a shoestring in oil and tie around pets neck.
Add eucalyptus oil to water in a mist-sprayer and spray liberally, especially in corners.
Place in pets bedding.
Make a tube of cloth, stuff with the herb and tie around pets neck
Rosemary leaves are used as a flea and tick repellent. Simply dust the powder onto the pet or areas where the pet sleeps
Dried and ground to a dust, pennyroyal is a very good tick deterent, sprinkle around pet bedding
NOTE: pennyroyal is toxic if eaten. Make sure pets don't chew it.

Non herbal
Salt can be used to rid your house of fleas
Two boxes of salt for a small carpeted area, four to five boxes for a large area. Powder it in a blender. Shake the fine salt powder all over your carpet, under stove, refrigerator, dish washer etc. Work into the nap of the carpet with a broom. Don't vacuum for a few days and allow the powdered salt to work it's way completely down into the napping of the carpet. The reason this pest control works, it dehydrates the flea larva. Repeat twice a year or if you shampoo the carpet. Optionally you can also blend in boric acid.

Vinegar. A ratio of 1 teaspoon vinegar to 1 quart water (per 40 pounds of pet weight) in their drinking water helps to keep your pets free of fleas and ticks.

Flea Yard Spray

Chinaberry Tree (Melia Azedarach)
The profuse berries are used to make necklaces and insecticides. Also called Lilac Tree, Pride of India and Bead Tree. To make flea repellent for lawns, mix 1 tbsp of dry, powdered berries with on tsp of dishwashing detergent to a gallon of water and spray on lawns with a sprayer. This will also repel flying insects as well.

herb: Aromatic plants sage, green and purple basil , thyme, rue, mint, Chrysanthemum

Place in windowsills

Pots of Basil can be placed on your windowsills to prevent flies.

Clusters of cloves hung around the room repels flies.

*Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium
Sprinkle dried powdered flowers to deter bedbugs, cockroaches, flies, aphids, spider mites, ants and mosquitoes.

Black Locust aka false acacia (Robina)
The bruised foliage mixed with sugar will attract and kill flies.

Kentucky Coffee Tree (Gymnocladus Dioica)
The bruised foliage when sprinkled with sweetened water will attract and kill flies.

Mints will repel mice. Place stems around the eaves of your house and it will encourage the mice to seek their winter residence elsewhere.
Anise will attract mice, so a few anise seeds mixed with peanut butter will make a more effective bait than cheese.

Non herbal
Instant Mashed potato powder or buds. Placed in strategic places with a dish of water close by. After eating the powder or buds mice will need water. This causes fatal bloating.

Stuff steel wool in the cracks around gas and water to keep them out.

herb: Almond or soya oil base and a choice of...eucalyptus, cloves, geranium, onion, peppermint, rosemary or citronella oils.

Pick 2 or 3 of the oils and add to the base at 4 drops herb oil per teaspoon of base oil. Apply the oil to exposed skin.

herb: pennyroyal
Rub the fresh leaves on your skin (avoiding your face)

1 oz green Chamomile leaves
1 oz green Citriodora leaves
boil in a gallon of water. Strain and place in the refrigerator. Before going outside, splash the mixture liberally over your face and exposed parts of your body. You will enjoy the fresh, citrus smell but the mosquitoes will stay far away.

Tansy or Basil . Plant tansy or basil around the patio and house to repel mosquitoes.

Never allow water to stand around the house in containers its a breeding ground for mosquitoes. If you have a rain barrel that you must keep full, add a couple ounces of plain vegetable oil to it, this will prevent them from using the water as a nest.

herb oils used: Oil of camphor, clove, lavender, lemon or vetiver.

herbs: Cedar (whole wood, chipboard, shavings, sawdust, essential oils); Chrysanthemum; Cotton Lavender (Santolina ssp); Tansy (Tanecetum vulgare); Bay Leaves (Laurus nobilis often used in cooking); Thyme (Thymus ssp); Wormwood (Artemisia Absintium); Southrenwood (A. abrotanum); Mugwort (A. vulgaris) dried sprays of curry; Blazing star roots (Spicata); Rosemary , Ginseng; Cloves;

Make a few small sachets of the oils and/or herbs and add to wardrobes and drawers.
Example
1/2 pound rosemary
1/2 pound mint
1/4 pound thyme
1/4 pound ginseng (optional)
2 tablespoons cloves
Mix and put in cheesecloth bags and place in closets or drawers.

Moth Repellent

2 ounces French Lavender Herb
1 ounce Patchouli Herb
1 ounce Southernwood Herb
1 teaspoon orris root powder (this retains the smell and potency of the herb)
Small muslin bags

Mix herbs together and place in drawers and wardrobes.

1 part dried tansy, rosemary, thyme or mint.
1 part southernwood
1/2-part ground cloves
Small muslin bags

Mix herbs together and place in drawers and wardrobes.

1lb Pine needles
1oz cedar shavings
Half-ounce sassafras root shavings

Line drawer with paper, sprinkle mixture on, cover with a layer of cloth and tack into place.

Roaches

Hedge Apples aka Osage Orange (Maclura)
The crushed fruits of this plant are said to attract and kill cockroaches.

Bay leaves can also be placed in cracks around the room to repel roaches.

Non herbal
Flour, Cocoa Powder, and Borax. Mix together 2 tablespoons flour, 4 tablespoons borax, and 1 tablespoon cocoa. Set the mixture out in dishes. CAUTION: Borax is toxic if eaten. Keep out of reach of children and pets.

Borax and Flour. Mix 1/2 cup borax and 1/4 cup flour and fill a glass jar. Punch small holes in jar lid. Sprinkle powder along baseboards and door sills. Caution: Borax is toxic if eaten. This recipe may not be for you if there are young children or pets in the house.

Oatmeal, Flour, and Plaster of Paris. Mix equal part and set in dishes. Keep out of reach of children and pets.

Baking Soda and Powdered Sugar . Mix equal parts and spread around infested area.

Weevils

herb: Bayleaves

Tuck into jars of rice, flour, cereals, cornmeal and other grains. It won't flavor your food.

Insect Repellent Oil

2 Tbsp citronella essential oil
rosemary essential oil
geranium essential oil
eucalyptus essential oil
1/2 cup olive oil

Mix all oils together and use on skin avoiding eyes and mouth.

Insect Repellent Oil 2

8 drops lemon grass oil
4 drops thyme oil
6 drops pennyroyal oil
3 drops lavender oil
8 drops eucalyptus oil
2 drops yarrow oil
2 drops basil oil
3 drops chamomile oil
2 cups water
2 tablespoons vodka

Blend and shake well before each use.
Apply to skin as needed.

Insect Repellent Rub

2 tsp lemon grass chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp pennyroyal leaves
1 tsp lavender flower
2 tsp dried eucalyptus leaves
½ tsp yarrow flowers
½ tsp dried basil
¾ tsp chamomile flowers
1 ½ cups water
1 Tbsp vodka

Warm the water and add the herbs as you wouldt for a tea. Let simmer until it reduces by ½ cup. Alternatively, you may steep the ingredients together in sunlight rather than using the stove. Cool, then add the vodka as a preservative. After cooling you may strain out the herbs, if desired. This is recommended if you do not add the vodka as the herbs will decay.

Apply to skin as needed.