Thursday, April 11, 2013

Fleas, Ticks and Mites Repellants

Fleas, Ticks and Mites are  Nasty Insects that spread disease to Humans and our Pets
This Spring and Summer protect your home and your Family and your pets from them without using nasty Toxic Chemcials  



1..Diatomaceous earth

 Diatomaceous earth is a remarkable, all-natural product made from tiny fossilized skeletal remains of unicellular plants called diatoms. But while 'DE' may look and feel like talcum powder to us, to insects it is a lethal dust with microscopic razor-sharp edges which cuts thier protective outer covering, leading to desiccation and death. And while DE spells death to insects, it is harmless to humans and pets.
                                                        source Wikipedia 

Sprinkle a light layer of the powder over any indoor areas that you suspect of having pests such as fleas and ticks. It is very effective on upholstered furniture, carpets and pet beds or areas where your pets spend time. Use a broom to sweep it into any cracks where insects may be hiding. Be sure to get it into all parts of the furniture, including the edges and under the cushions. make sure you have food grade Diatomaceous Earth.



Dust outside areas that hide pests, especially spots where your pet likes to rest, since such places can be havens for fleas. Don’t apply diatomaceous earth when the ground or grass is damp, since it will turn to paste and be rendered ineffective. You’ll also need to reapply it after watering or rainfall.



Apply diatomaceous earth to any other areas in your home that may be hiding pests, including crawl spaces, under porches, in the space between walls and in the attic. The more places you can put it, the more pests it can kill. In addition to fleas and ticks, diatomaceous earth is effective against termites and other such pests, but only if you put it where they live.



Vacuum the house a few days after you apply the diatomaceous earth. It isn’t necessary to remove it from places you don’t go, such as in the attic or crawl spaces, but do vacuum your furniture, rugs and other living areas to get rid of the powder and pick up all of the dead and dying pests, along with flea eggs. Outdoors, you can just leave the diatomaceous earth in place.

Kills spiders, Fleas, Ticks, Mites, Ants , Roaches , Bed Bugs, Silverfish and much more
you can find diatomaceous earth at home depot, Lowes , Hardware stores and online retailers 
make sure it says FOOD GRADE DIATOMACEOUS EARTH check your label 





2.Fleas and Ticks Herbal bath


8 oz apple cider vinegar 
4 oz warm water 
1/2 tsp salt 
1/2 tsp baking soda 

Mix dry ingredients first then slowly add to wet as the vinegar and baking soda will react slightly. Be careful not to get in pets eyes.


Grow herbs

3.Rue

Rue (Ruta graveolens) is an evergreen herb with metallic blue, feathery foliage. The herb has disinfectant and insecticidal properties for getting rid of flies, mosquitoes and a number of other insects naturally. Rubbing the herbs over pets keeps away the fleas. Planting rue with other plants keeps beetles and slugs from the garden. The semi-woody plant grows to a full height of about 2 1/2 feet. Rue foliage has a medicinal and bitter smell upon crushing or cutting. The herb blooms with small, four petaled flowers during summer. Rue is easy to grow from seed and thrives in a range of soil types including poor soil. You also can grow the herb as an indoor plant.

4.Wormwood

Wormwood (Artemesia absinthium) is among the bitter herbs used for centuries to repel and deter insects including ticks,fleas, flies and moths. Wormwood grows to a mature height of about 3 feet and has gray-green foliage. The plant is covered with fine hair and blooms with yellow flowers during summer. Wormwood is widely used in traditional medicine both by itself or in combination with other herbs to relieve digestive and gallbladder disorders. Wormwood, also referred to as artemesia, grows naturally in the temperate and mild climates. The foliage of wormwood is used for making an herbal tea.

5.Mint

Mint (Mentha) is among the most recognized and most used herbs in the kitchen, which also keep away a wide range of insects with its strong scent. Mint is especially effective for deterring beetles and fleas. Keeping sachets of dried mint in closets keeps out moths and placing fresh mint in pantries helps deter ants. Rubbing the herbs over the neck, face and hands repels mosquitoes, and rubbing the herb over pets and mouths of horses and cows keeps them free from flies. Planting mint with cabbage and tomatoes gets rid of aphids, cabbage white butterflies and white flies.


6.Lemongrass (Cybopogon citratus)



Lemon Grass oil comes from the tropical lemongrass plant Cymbopogon citrates. A related species, citronella grass, repels ticks, fleas,spiders,bedbugs and Mosquitos.  Lemongrass oil contains a pleasing citrus scent and is also useful in controlling oily scalps and skin conditions, making it suitable for lotion, spray, soap and shampoo formulas. Both species of Plants are excellent choices for the Garden and non toxic to Animals or humans 





7. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Oil of Rosemary



You can purchase oil of rosemary from health food stores and those specializing in aromatherapy. There is no standard for rosemary oil, so the concentration can vary every time you purchase it. If you would like to create oil of rosemary on your own, chop a bunch of fresh rosemary leaves. Pour a cup on nearly boiling water over the leaves, then let the mixture sit for several hours. Strain the liquid into a container for a dilute mixture of rosemary oil and water.

Pets
Oil of rosemary works as a tick repellent for pets. Undiluted oil can cause contact dermatitis, so do not apply it directly to a pet's skin. Spray your pet's bedding with the dilute mixture of oil and water to protect it where it sleeps. Create an herbal tick repellent collar by purchasing a fabric collar. Place a few drops of rosemary oil on the collar every week or so. The scent will repel ticks and refreshing it will keep it working well.Once dry, grind the leaves to a powder in the blender. Rub the powder into your pets’ fur and sprinkle it in your yard concentrating on the soil and plants of your animals’ outdoor spaces.

Home
Oil of rosemary can help keep ticks away from your home. When cleaning, add a few drops of the oil to the water use for mopping to deter ticks from crossing your floors. Create the dilute mixture of rosemary oil and water, then spray it in doorways and across windowsills to stop ticks from entering your home. Spray the mixture on your patio or outdoor furniture. You can place a few drops of undiluted oil on cloth-covered outside furniture to keep ticks away when you are outside.

Considerations
Oil of rosemary does not just repel ticks; it also deters flies, aphids and mites. While oil of rosemary is a tick repellent, it is not the most effective one available. Rose geranium and palmarosa essential oils repel ticks better. You can combine them with oil of rosemary to provide better protection for your pets and your home.



8.lemon eucalyptus oil




Corymbia citriodora is a tall tree, growing to 35 metres in height (but sometimes taller), from temperate and tropical north eastern Australia. It is also known as lemon-scented gum, blue spotted gum, lemon eucalyptus and eucalyptus citriodora. 

 Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus is sold in stores under the brand name Cutter and Repel Lemon Eucalyptus. Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE) is recommended by the EPA and Center for Disease Control as the only plant based ingredient for use as a repellent. Many studies have been conducted and OLE is proven to be as effective as DEET in repelling ticks and mosquitoes.






9. Lavender



A sweet-smelling, all-purpose insect repellent, lavender essential oil performed well in recent studies as both a tick deterrent and a method of preventing tick eggs from hatching.
Use lavender in soaps, lotions, spray repellents, potpourris and under cushions and rugs.





10. Mexican Marigolds (Asteraceae)



Mexican marigolds have natural tick-repellent qualities. Originating in Central America, the Mexican marigold with its bright yellow and orange flowers and pungent leaves can deter many pests, including deer, when planted at the outer edges of your garden. Burn marigold leaves as a tick repellent or obtain essential oils by steam distillation. Use the marigold plant externally to remove ticks from your skin.
soaps, candles made with marigold are excellent to Repell  Fleas
Also repels Spiders, Fleas, Ants and Mosquitos   



More Tick-Repellent Plants

Lemon scented herbs are said to help deter ticks and other pests, such as lemon thyme, lemon balm, lemon verbena, lemon grass, lemon eucalyptus, lemon pelargonium.

Sage repels cabbage moths, carrot flies, and ticks, and carrots will benefit from sage.

Rose geranium plants will deter ticks from entering your yard; when you are outdoors, you can crush the leaves of rose geraniums and mint plants and rub them on your skin to make an all-natural flea and tick repellent.

A few more plants that have shown tick-repellent activity through their essential oils are allspice, basil, cedar, cinnamon, lavender,  peppermint, pine and soybean; usually these deterrents give a limited protection time that does not exceed two hours.
Anti-Tick Lawn Care

Cut your lawn close to destroy a large number of ticks. If the number of ticks is on the rise in your region, set your lawnmower’s blade to its lowest setting. Ticks need grass at least three inches tall to grow and thrive. Close cutting will give your yard a severe trim and is a surefire method of destroying a large amount of ticks in your landscape. You can also apply Diatomaceous Earth to your yard (not the kind you use in a swimming pool, but the kind you get at a feed store or organic nursery) which will also help with getting rid of lots of other bugs.













10 ways How to Prevent Mosquitoes This Summer


How to Prevent Mosquitoes This Summer


Mosquitos they are not just annoying, But they are Dangerous
Mosquitoes Despite their small size kill  Millions of people Worldwide every year by spreading disease

But at the Same time Bombarding your body with Toxic Chemicals that Pollute the Environment only do more harm than good, so here is natural ways to repel them without chemicals


1.Eliminate standing water. Objects that can collect water provide for perfect breeding areas for mosquitoes. This includes plastic wrappers, tarps, tires, planter saucers, kids' toys and clogged gutters. Also, if you're a fan of birdbaths, change the water in them at least twice a week, and, of course, change the water in outdoor pet bowls regularly. For items such as recycling bins, drill drainage holes to prevent standing water.


2.Geranium, soybean and coconut oil – Found in a product called Bite Blocker

 this unique blend of oils repels mosquitoes for about an hour
I tried Bite Blocker last summer and never got bit once


3. For a natural approach, try spraying Lemon    on bushes, shrubs and vines 

Lemon eucalyptus oil – Together these natural essential oils combine to wallop the mosquitoes with a one-two punch. Providing natural protection from mosquitoes and other carnivorous bugs, lemon eucalyptus oil lasts longer than any other natural repellent (6 hours)



4.Citronella candles

– Made from the oil of citronella grass, this lemon-smelling oil wards off mosquitoes and other flying pests with its natural lemon smell. Although citronella oil can also be used directly on the skin, these candles work best in combination with another natural repellant method.

You can also Grow Citronella Plants around your home in Pots
Break off  few stems and branches and get the oils in the air

5.  Marigolds also repel Mosquitoes  candles and soaps Marigold scented helps repel them away


6.  Burn  herbs.

(Not that herb.) The next time you barbeque, throw some Sage , Rosemary, Horsemint, Lemongrass, Ageratum  Beebalm, Catnip,Marigolds, Basil, Lavender  ,Lemon Scented Geranium: on the coals to repel mosquitoes.

7. Eat more garlic.

When you eat garlic, especially large quantities of it, an invisible layer of garlic oil seeps from your pores and creates a mosquito barrier. If you don’t like the thought of eating more garlic, you can also use garlic juice to make a natural repellant.

Mix one part garlic juice with 5 parts water in a small spray bottle. Shake well before using. Spray lightly on exposed body parts for an effective repellent lasting up to 5 to 6 hours.’ And if you don’t like the idea of reeking of garlic, you can dip strips of cotton cloth into the malodorous mixture which you can then hang in strategic areas such as patios, decks and such as a local deterrent.

8.  Attract bats.

It is said that one small brown bat can catch 600 mosquitoes per hour. In an effort to attract these opportunistic insect eaters, you might want to consider building or buying a bat house. And if you’re worried about contracting rabies from the bats you attract, consider the Niagara Frontier Wildlife Habitat Council’s statistic that the less than half of one percent of all bats that contract rabies, which all mammals can do, ‘they normally bite only in self-defense and pose little threat to people who do not handle them.’ For a free bat house pattern, go to Bat Conservation International. http://www.batcon.org/pdfs/SingleChamberBHPlans.pdf

9.Homemade Mosquito Repellent !!






Ingredients :
15 drops lavender oil
3-4 Tbsp of vanilla extract
10 drops of citronella oil
1/4 Cup lemon juice.
(You can also use 10 drops of lemon eucalyptus oil instead of citronella oil)
Instructions :
Combine in a 16 oz bottle
Mix all of the above ingredients in a spray bottle and fill the rest up with water (or a mix of water and vodka, or a mix of water and witch hazel).
Spray on yourself!!


Homemade Insect Repellent Recipe 2
10-25 drops essential oil. Try lavender, rose geranium (for ticks), coriander seeds, peppermint, cajeput and citronella
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon aloe vera gel (optional)

Combine the ingredients in a glass jar; stir to blend. Dab a few drops on your skin or clothing.
or spray on body in a spray bottle

Homemade Insect Repellent Recipe 3
25 drops essential oil (see above)
1/4 cup water or organic apple cider vinegar

Combine the ingredients in a glass jar. Shake to blend. Dab some on your skin or clothing.
or spray on body in a spray bottle





10. Grow these herbs in your Garden 

Ageratum or Floss Flower: Ageratum houstonianum. Type: Annual. Height: 6-12”. Spacing: 6-8” apart. Light Requirement: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Butterfly nectar plant.

Basil: Ocimum basilicum. Type: Annual. Height: 2 feet. Spacing: 18-24” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Butterfly nectar plant, the leaves are used in cooking.

Cadaga Tree: Eucalyptus torelliana. Type: Tree. Height: To 80 feet. Spacing: 20-30 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun. Additional Uses: Attracts wildlife to the garden.

Catmint: Nepeta faassenii. Type: Perennial. Height: 2-3 feet. Spacing: 12-18 “ apart. Additional Uses: Butterfly nectar plant, and your cats will love it. The picture on the right is Catmint.

Catnip: Nepeta cataria. Type: Perennial. Height: 2-3 feet. Spacing: 12-18 “ apart. Additional Uses: Butterfly nectar plant, and your cats will love it.

Citronella Grass: Cymbopogon nardus. Type: Perennial in USDA Zones 9 and 10, annual outside zone 9. Height: 5-6 feet. Spacing: 3-5 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: The oil from the plant is used in citronella candles. The picture on the left is Catnip.

Clove Tree: Syzygium aromaticum. Type: Tree. Height: 20-30 feet. Spacing: 25 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: The flower buds are the spice of commerce, and attracts wildlife to the garden.

Horsemint or Lemon Beebalm: Monarda citriodora. Type: Perennial. Height: 12-30”. Spacing: 12-24” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: The flowers can be used in fresh cut arrangements, nectar plant for butterflies and hummingbirds.

Lavender: Lavandula angustifolia. Type: Perennial. Height: 18-24”. Spacing: 12-18” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Nectar plant for butterflies, flowers can be dried, in potpourris, and sachets.

Lemon Balm: Melissa officinalis. Type: Perennial. Height: 2-3 feet. Spacing: 12-18” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: All leaves can be used in potpourris, flavor hot and iced teas, and used as a substitute for lemon peel in cooking.

Lemon Grass: Cymbopogon citrates. Type: Perennial to USDA zone 8, treat as an annual elsewhere. Height: 2-3 feet. Spacing: 3-5 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: The leaves are used in cooking.

Lemon Scented Geranium: Pelargonium crispum. Type: Perennial. Height: 2-3 feet. Spacing: 12” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Nectar plant for butterflies, leaves are used in cooking, in potpourris, and sachets. The picture on the right is Clove Tree.

Lemon Verbena: Aloysia triphylla. Type: Perennial to USDA zone 8, treat as an annual elsewhere. Height: To 4 feet. Spacing: 18-24” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: The oil is used in perfumes; the leaves are used in flavoring teas and jellies.

Marigold : Tagetes
No annual is more cheerful or easier to grow than marigolds. These flowers are the spendthrifts among annuals, showing a wealth of gold, copper, and brass into our summer and autumn gardens. The flower’s popularity probably derives in part from its ability to bloom brightly all summer long.

Marigolds have daisy-like or double, carnation-like flowerheads and are produced singly or in clusters.  Although there are some 50 species, some marigolds we know come from just three:

Tagetes erecta are the tallest, at three to five feet. They are sometimes known as African, or American, marigolds.
Bushy T. patula, or French marigolds, are somewhat smaller and more compact. Elegant and eye-catching, they have relatively demure flowers and usually grow from 6 inches to 2 feet tall.
The dainty T. tenuifolia are the signet, or rock-garden, marigolds that like hot, dry sites and make a wonderful edging. Their flowers are edible.
Marigolds have been sterotyped but they offer tremendous variety; some have fantastic aroma; all marigolds are good in containers and provide long-lasting cut flowers



Mexican Marigold Mint: Tagetes lucida. Type: Perennial. Height: 24-30”. Spacing: 12-18” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Butterfly nectar and larval food plant, fresh flowers are used in salads, leaves are used as a substitute for French tarragon.

Mindanao Gum Tree: Eucalyptus deglupta. Type: Tree. Height: To 225 feet. Spacing: 30 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Attracts wildlife to the garden.

Pennyroyal: Mentha pulegium. Type: Perennial. Height: 6-12”. Spacing: 12” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: A groundcover, nectar plant for butterflies, the leaves are used in the flavoring for fish dishes.

Peppermint: Mentha piperita. Type: Perennial. Height: 24-36”. Spacing: 12-18” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Leaves are used fresh in hot and iced teas, butterfly nectar and larval food plant.

Pitcher Plant: Nepenthes alata. Type: Herbaceous perennial. Height: To 14 feet, usually grown in a hanging basket. Spacing: N/A. Light Requirements: Partial shade to shade. Additional Uses: Will attract and capture all types of pesky insects from your garden. The plant is available at local garden centers in hanging baskets and can be placed in tree limbs or placed on patio plant stands. The plant uses the insects it captures as fertilizer. The picture on the left is Mindanao Gum, and the picture on the right is Mexican Marigold Mint.

Prostrate Rosemary: Rosmarinus officinalis 'Prostrates'. Type: Perennial shrub or groundcover. Height: 12-18”. Spacing: 2 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: The leaves are used in lamb and fish dishes, butterfly nectar plant, drought tolerant plant.

Red-Flowering Gum Tree: Eucalyptus ficifolia. Type: Tree. Height: 25-30 feet. Spacing: 20-25 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun. Additional Uses: After establishment in the landscape the tree is very drought tolerant, the leaves are fragrant, attracts wildlife to the garden, very showy red flowers in spring and summer.

Roman Wormwood: Artemisia pontica. Type: Perennial. Height: 18-24”. Spacing: 12” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun. Additional Uses: Nectar and larval food plant for butterflies, drought tolerant plant.

Rosemary: Rosmarinus officinalis. Type: Perennial shrub. Height: 4 feet. Spacing: 3-5 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: The leaves are used in lamb and fish dishes, drought tolerant plant, and butterfly nectar plant.

Silver Dollar Tree: Eucalyptus cinerea. Type: Tree. Height: To 20 feet. Spacing: 25 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun. Additional Uses: Attracts wildlife to the garden, the foliage is used in fresh cut flower arrangements as greens, and dried floral arrangements.

Tansy: Tanacetum vulgare. Type: Perennial. Height: 3-4 feet. Spacing: 12-18” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Nectar food plant for butterflies. The picture on the left is Prostrate Rosemary, and the picture on the right is Pitcher Plant.

Wormwood: Artemisia absinthium. Type: Perennial. Height: 2-3 feet. Spacing: 18-24” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Nectar and larval food plant for butterflies, drought tolerant plant.

Wormwood: Artemisia 'Powis Castle'. Type: Perennial. Height: 2-3 feet. Spacing: 3 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Nectar and larval food plant for butterflies, drought tolerant plant.