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Herbs to keep pests off of other herbs?

20 years ago

I've got herbs on the windowsill and they've got tiny white bugs on them; i think they're the larve of these tiny, brown, beetle-like housebugs we've got. They don't seem to be harming the plants, at least not yet, but they are spreading around the rest of the house and giving me the creeps! I'd like to be able to get rid of them without harmful chemicals. Does anyone know of an herbal remedy that will repel these insects in some way? Please help!

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Comments (9)

Organicwop
in a food processor, puree rue, garlic and a little oil. Apply with a spay bottle on plants and this is the best pest deterant in my opinion ( wont do any good for mealy bug or scale-which u probably won't encounter with herbs).
Organicwop
in a food processor, puree rue, garlic and a little oil. Apply with a spay bottle on plants and this is the best pest deterant in my opinion ( wont do any good for mealy bug or scale-which u probably won't encounter with herbs).
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The thai basil came about 45 days ago. The ones outside are thriving, but the one indoors is not. ===>> which begs the question.. why are the ones in the house stressed ... stressed plants have magical ways of attracting all kinds of secondary problems ... but its hard to solve those problems on a stressed plant .... did i see clay pots ... i have never had a lot of success with clay pots indoors.. but that might be a location issue.. where are you ... how old is the media ... do they get proper light .. how do you water ... on a schedule.. or when they need it ... etc ... did you transplant the new one.. when you brought it home from the store??? also ... if you take the plants in and out of doors.. you may be bringing outdoor problems indoors ... so many questions.. so little time ... ken ps: sometimes its easier.. and cheaper.. just to throw away a bad plant .. rather than spend 20 dollars.. trying to save a 3 dollar plant ... always keep that in the front of your mind ....
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Organicwop
in a food processor, puree rue, garlic and a little oil. Apply with a spay bottle on plants and this is the best pest deterant in my opinion ( wont do any good for mealy bug or scale-which u probably won't encounter with herbs).
Organicwop
in a food processor, puree rue, garlic and a little oil. Apply with a spay bottle on plants and this is the best pest deterant in my opinion ( wont do any good for mealy bug or scale-which u probably won't encounter with herbs).
Daisyduckworth
20 years ago
One of the great disadvantages of trying to keep herbs inside! I reckon a nice long holiday outside would solve the problem - let predator bugs do their job in a more balanced environment. A garlic spray might help, or pyrethrum.
cajungardener
20 years ago
Sounds like mealy bugs. Both the male and female are sap suckers. The bugs excrete a honeydew (sticky substance) which in turn promotes powdery mildew. You can either use a mild soapy solution or even better take a Q-tip dipped in alcohol and the swab the pests. It dissolves their exoskeleton and doesn't harm the plants.

Cajun
Traute_Biogardener
19 years ago
Mealy bugs can be gotten rid of by touching them with a Q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol. You have to do it every other day until the problem is gone, because the alcohol only kills the live bugs and not the eggs. So you keep on doing it until you get the ones which have newly hatched.

To keep flying bugs away from indoor plants, stick a garlic clove or two into each pot. When the garlic gets too high, snip it off and use it in a salad.
esoterica
19 years ago
I make a spray of cayenne pepper and have added tobacco.

I simmer the herbs for a good while, cool, and strain.

Place in your spritz bottle. The finer the spray IMO, the better. It gets clogged if there are any particles in the water.
Traute_Biogardener
19 years ago
Cayenne pepper spray will prevent flying insects from settling on a plant, but for mealy bugs, you need undiluted alcohol, but you don't apply it to the plant, just to the white fluff.

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