I really do hate bugs! I hate Bugs of all types, especially Flies and Roaches. The bugs that get into your garden can ruin it in short order if they are not controlled properly. The trouble is that after SHTF hits, you may not be able to run to the store for your favorite bug spray. It’s for this reason that we are going to take a look today at homemade bug spray that can be made from common household items. These simple recipes and solutions can be used to make life a little nicer when everything else in the world has gone to crap.
Besides carrying diseases and eating your garden that you have put your blood and sweat into, they are also a real pain in the rear. Being proactive in regards to pest control in your garden however can go a long way in protecting it. By planting things like Mint and Marigolds throughout your property, you can get a jump-start on discouraging them from making your garden their new home! Bugs really hate the smell of those plants and will usually avoid the area where they are located. Rotating your crops is another way to reduce the reoccurrence of insects in your garden each year. Believe it or not, a thing like washing your tools at the end of each day is one great way to reduce the spread of insects throughout your garden. Many bugs deposit their eggs in the soil of the garden and they will attach themselves to your tools and get deposited further down in your garden. By washing them often, you can greatly reduce it from happening.
When insects do show up there are a couple of different recipes that you can use to make your own insect spray for your garden. The first one and the one I use is to mix 2 tablespoons of hot sauce or red pepper oil, two Tablespoons of Baking Soda and 2 or three drops of Dawn dishwashing liquid to a gallon of water. Mix well by stirring and put it in a sprayer. Spray the tops and bottoms of all of the leaves. The insects hate this stuff and so do the Deer and Rabbits as well. You should reapply after each rain for best results. This formula works and will help keep the bugs and pest out of your garden year round.
Another pest that I hate is the House Fly. There can be none in sight one minute and the minute you light a campfire or a BBQ grill, they seem to just appear out of nowhere by the hundreds! It can be maddening at times. I have tried sprays, fly traps and it just seemed like nothing really worked until….. I found the secret to making them go away. It is simple and easy to do once you know the trick. All you need is a Ziploc or other clear plastic bag, some water and some string. Fill the bag with water and suspend it from a limb or ceiling from one end. It will form a cone shape with the weight of the water in it. To the flies it looks like a Hornets nest and Hornets kill flies, so they don’t want to be anywhere near it. It works like a charm, so give it a try next time you cook or grill outside. You will be amazed. Many BBQ competition cookers use this trick the keep them away their food. It is much cleaner and better than hanging fly traps or spraying chemicals that really don’t seem to work anyway.
Roaches and ants are two of the nastiest bugs there are and you can bet that they will still be around even after SHTF. In fact, I recall reading one time that cockroaches are immune to radiation. We can’t even nuke the beggars and get rid of them! I do enjoy the popping sound that they make when you stomp on them though. (Evil Laugh) Fortunately, there are natural ways to deal with them. You need to mix one part of powdered boric acid, with two parts flour and one part of powdered sugar. You then take this powder mixture and sprinkle it around their living area or place in old lids and put them on your counter tops and in your cabinets. Just remember to keep them away from small children and pets as it could make them very sick.. Once the roaches ingest the powdered boric acid, they will die shortly after.
I hope you have learned something new today and I hope it will serve you well in the future. If you enjoy this article and others on this sight, please pass along the URL to your friends and family or anyone that may enjoy it as well. Thanks again for stopping by and I hope to see you back again soon!
-The Sargent-
