Natural Alternative for Bugs and gardens

Natural Bug Deterrent

Over the past few years we sprayed pesticide around the outside of the house because of carpenter ants. This year I used a combination of vinegar and water (1 Tblsp to 16 oz) and sprayed around the outside edges of the house. The vinegar worked as well as the pesticide. You may need to re-apply after a couple months, but that was true of the toxic pesticides as well.

Organic Gardening

There are many organic options for lawn and plant care. We practice VERY organic lawn care - in other words - no care. We don't even water the lawn. Weed-killer? If we didn't have weeds, we would have mostly dirt and not much lawn. Luckily, my home is at the end of a long driveway so there is no competition with the neighbors for "best lawn on the block".

If you just can't tolerate the weeds, here is an interesting article about how to promote healthy grass growth without herbicides.

Native plants are your best bet for low maintenance landscaping. These plants grow wild in your area therefore they are perfectly adapted to the local temperatures and average rainfall. You can visit www.wildflower.org for a list of recommended plants for your area.

Here is another helpful article about Going Green in the Garden which includes alternatives to synthetic pesticides.