insect repellant

from time to time,  i enjoy playing around with essential oils and concocting natural insect repellants.  i always believe that prevention is a much better route than treatment.  i have a strict no-kill rule in my garden, so keeping pests at bay is an important part of my gardening.  if i can make pests feel unwelcome and encourage them to move along, i've been successful.  easier said than done though, right?

there are so many tutorials our there for making your own citronella candles.  sometimes i think the scent of citronella alone is just as bothersome to me as it is to bugs.  so i like using a blend of additional oils to make it more pleasant for humans, yet still repelling to bugs.  i always keep a journal of the oils i blend, so i can recreate ones that i enjoy and not recreate ones i dislike.

i first start with a list of oils that are offensive to various insects we have in our area.  mosquitos, fruit flies and hornets tend to be our main buggers.  i'll chose three-five oils from the list and start blending away.  once i have a blend i'm happy with, i then add the concoction to simple soy wax candles, body sprays and room sprays.

i keep candles burning around walkways, tables, windows and doors.  i also keep potted and vases of fresh cut herbs near doors and windows.  it certainly helps to keep our pest population down.

here's my latest concoction that works well.  feel free to play around with different oils and proportions.  have fun and enjoy!

Insect Repellent

Citronella: 10 drops
Sage: 5 drops
Rosemary: 5 drops
Peppermint: 5 drops
Clove: 5 drops
Lavender: 5 drops

mix oils and store in a light-proff bottle.  dilute in a carrier oil or in distilled water before applying to skin.  alternatively, diffuse in a diffuser or use in candles to repel bugs.

Gardening With My Children

With two young children (and hopefully more someday!), it's been fun to find ways to incorporate them into my current gardening style.  As much as I desire a tidy, charming cottage garden packed full of perennials, or an acre or 2 of land in the country full of edibles, I'm learning to make do with what I have.  I really appreciate what my husband and I are able to provide for our boys, in terms of an outdoor environment where they can grow and explore.  Today, I want to share a few ways I incorporate my children into my gardening.

• Before we had children, we knew a fence would be essential.  It has been one of the best additions to our home.  I can't express enough the ease I feel knowing they are safely contained within the fence.

• I've resisted the urge to rip out all the grass and make every open space a planter bed.  Although we don't do any upkeep on our grass (aside from mowing) and it's horribly unattractive, it's great to have room for my boys to run, play tag, chase butterflies, and play baseball.

• I've also resisted the urge to plant every available planter bed with perennials or vegetables.  I leave a designated planter bed that is used exclusively for digging, making mud pies and getting dirty.

• I make a special effort to grow foods they love to eat.  Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, carrots, broccoli and cauliflower are their favorites.  I find immense joy watching them dig up a fresh carrot to snack on during the day.

• I include them (only if they are interested) in the planting of seeds and harvesting of crops.  They love watching their seeds grow, and it offers such valuable learning opportunities.

• After giving a safety lesson on firm footing, they have freedom to climb as high as they are comfortable in our big trees.

• Aesthetically, I cringe at the sight of plastic toys.  We stick to outdoor toys made of metal and wood.

• They know which plants and trees are expensive, fragile and ones they should be careful around.  They usually respect this and leave them alone.

• They're allowed to pick any flowers that are in bloom.  They know to leave the stems long enough so they can be displayed in a vase.

• My boys LOVE picking flowers for me to wear in my hair.  Even if it's a weed, I try to always let them see me wearing what they have picked for me.  I want them to know I appreciate the little things they do for me.

• Fire is of course fascinating to them.  We have fires often and are sure to talk about fire safety.

• They love practicing their hammering skills with blocks, hammers and nails.  I can't tell you how many hours they have spent hammering!

• Two hammocks hang from our maple tree where they can swing, relax and daydream.

And finally, we let them be busy, rambunctious boys.  When branches get broken or expensive perennials get dug up or trampled on, we try to just let it be and not make a fuss over it.

catnip insect repellent

i am pretty sensitive to insect bites and tend to swell easily.

yesterday when i was working in the garden i got bit by something close to my eye and now look like i was involved in a serious boxing match.
since i am not willing to hide inside all summer long i thought i would do a little research about making my own insect repellent.

i was excited to find a recipe made from a few simple ingredients including catnip which is something i have quite a bit of growing in my garden.
although it may have to be applied more regularly, it is claimed that catnip (nepeta) is more effective than deet. 

there are a few different methods of making the repellent, all of which don't require much time or materials.

to make an oil-based infusion of the plant, gather catnip leaves and stems and finely chop. fill a clean jar with the chopped greens and cover with olive oil. cap jar tightly and shake to bring air bubbles to the top. then fill completely with the oil. let sit in a cool dark place for six weeks to infuse.

an alcohol-based infusion is what i decided to try. i like the idea of spraying something cool and light onto my skin on hot summer days.

gather the catnip leaves and stems, chop and fill a jar with the greens. use 100-proof vodka to fill the jar. cap jar tightly and set aside for six weeks. after straining the alcohol from the plant, you will now have a tincture. fill a small spritzer bottle halfway with the tincture. top the rest of the bottle with water.

you will need to re-apply the catnip repellent, whichever form you choose, about every 30 minutes to maintain optimal effectiveness.

the most simple method of all is to simply take a sprig of catnip and crush it in your hands, releasing the oils and scent.



tuck it into your shirt pocket, hat, around the neckline of your clothes and other places that are exposed. You can also rub the plant directly onto your skin.

here's to keeping the bugs away!