Lavender is a Mediterranean plant that can grow almost anywhere. When grown indoors, lavender produces a sweet fragrance. It also has an attractive purple color that makes it one of the most beautiful plants for flower gardens. Lavender is also a herb, with multiple culinary uses. It is a perennial plant and will live for many years, when well taken care of. The aromatic scent of lavender is an irritant to some pests, which makes it a good pest repellent. Some of these pests include:
1. Spiders
Spiders love to stay outdoors but may find their way into your house. Although some are harmless, others may bite and inflict pain. The best way to have a spider-free home is by preventing them from getting in.
Fix holes and crack around your home. Keeping your home tidy will also prevent spiders from getting in.
Declutter objects and collect any food particles that fall on the floor, since they may attract spiders. If they have already gotten inside, getting rid of them is easy, by using lavender essential oil.
Spiders don’t like the pungent smell of lavender. To keep them away, soak lavender oil in cotton balls and place them in areas where spiders love to stay. You can also put the oil in a vacuum cleaner bag. It will spread in your house as you vacuum, sending the insects away.
2. Silverfish
Silverfish have a white-solver or grey-silver color and resemble teardrops. They feed on newspapers, fabric, and food products. They produce at a very high level, making it hard to eradicate them. It might be challenging to identify silverfish in your home, as they don’t like light and only comes out from their hiding areas at night.
Silverfish may get into the house through cracks and holes. Tidy up your home to avoid these crawling insects. They love hiding in cluttered and dusty areas. Grow lavender in containers and place them in your house, if there is a silverfish infestation. The insects will disappear as they don’t like its scent. Dehumidify your home using a ….dehumidifier, since they love places with moisture.
3. Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes can be a nuisance, especially during summer. Mosquitoes hate the smell of lavender. Grow it in your garden or indoors to keep away the insects. Apply lavender oil on your skin to avoid mosquitoes bites too, especially when traveling to areas where there are mosquitoes. It is a safe and cheap method, compared to using chemical products.
Clear bushes around your house and empty stagnant water, since they are the residing area for mosquitoes.
4. Fleas
If you identify tiny black, jumping creatures in your house, it is highly likely you have a flea infestation. Fleas attack both humans and animals. Pets spend a lot of time outdoors, and may easily collect fleas and bring them to the house. Growing lavender plants will repel fleas and keep you and your pets safe.
Mowing the lawn frequently also helps keep them away. Add lavender oil to pets bathing shampoo to get rid of them. If you already have an infestation, sprinkling diatomaceous earth in your garden, also supplements fleas’ control. You don’t need to apply harsh chemicals on your pet’s skin to keep away fleas.
5. Flies
Some fly species may attack your plants, while others may get inside the house. Flies that attack plants include white-flies and bulb flies. They may feed on leaves, roots, or fruits and damage plants by causing stunted growth or death in extreme cases. Rotting vegetation attracts flies in the garden.
Growing lavender together with your plants keeps flies away.
Flies may also get into the house through doors and windows. The smell of food usually attracts them. Sprinkling lavender oil will prevent them from getting into your home.
You can also supplement this control method by placing fly traps.
How Lavender Does Repels Pests
Lavender repels pests in its natural form when grown directly in the garden, or containers. Its essential oil is also an effective pest repellant. Here is a guide on how to grow lavender:
Lavender can be propagated from seeds or plants.it will grow in various soil conditions, whether fertile or moderately fertile. The soil needs to be well-drained. Add organic matter to your soil, if it is compact. Compact soil may cause the plant to develop root rot. Mulch your plants to conserve moisture and prevent the growth of weeds. Water your young plants twice in a week since it does not require too much watering.
Lavender does not tolerate winter frost. Cover the plants with straw mulch to protect them. Use hand pruners to prune your plants, to control their growth. Pruning also makes landscape lavenders more appealing.
When growing lavender indoors, ensure that your pots have drainage holes to avoid water stagnation. Place the plants near a window where it will receive adequate sunlight. You can also use grow lights if you cannot locate a suitable place with proper sun exposure to place your plants.
Lavender has a strong scent which keeps it safe from attack by pests. However, it may be attacked by fungal diseases. To prevent the attack, space your plants adequately, to allow enough air circulation.
Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender essential oil is derived from the lavender plant through distillation. The oil has several uses which include:
1. Preventing Hair Loss
Lavender oil has elements that prevent hair loss—applying it after hair loss encourages growth too.
2. Relieving Insomnia
Inhaling lavender oil relieves insomnia. If you have sleeping problems, inhale lavender oil before sleeping and experience a good night’s sleep.
3. Preventing Fungal Infections
The oil has anti-fungal properties that protect the body from fungal infections.
4. Healing Wounds
Applying the oil on minor wounds promotes faster healing.
5. Improving the Appearance Of The Skin
Lavender oil gives the skin a glowing appearance. It is widely used in the cosmetic industry. It also soothes irritating skin.
6. Relieving Anxiety
Consuming lavender oil eases tension and improves relaxation. If you are feeling disturbed, take some drops of this oil. Follow usage instructions from the manufacturer. However, don’t replace your anxiety medication with lavender oil.
Lavender has several benefits apart from repelling insects. When grown in the garden, it attracts beneficial insects like bees and butterflies. It is also used in the kitchen to add flavor to different dishes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Feeding lavender is not necessary, as it will still grow well without additional fertilizers. However, you can add potash to your plants if there are not growing properly even with adequate watering and sun exposure.
Lavender will grow in almost any climatic condition. It originated from the Mediterranean region and has already spread to nearly every part of the globe.
Lavender does not tolerate winter frost. Protect them using straw mulch or move them indoors if they are growing in pots.
Lavender does well when growing alone. It might suffocate when grown together with other plants.
Soaking lavender seeds overnight before the day of planting will speed up the germination process.
Lavender contains linalool, which is toxic to dogs. However, the concentration of linalool in a single plant is minimal, and dogs can only be affected by ingesting large amounts of lavender, which is rare.
