Herbs are wonderful plants in the garden, they are generally easy to grow and most have low fertiliser and water needs - some even thrive on neglect! You can add biodiversity to your garden by growing herbs. Biodiversity is the key to garden health; a healthy ecosystem is based on growing as many different species of plants as you possibly can, in order for your garden to naturally resist and control pest invasions. Biodiversity (as opposed to monoculture, which relies on chemicals to keep plants healthy) attracts more insects (including beneficial insects) to your garden. It is these insects that can help you to keep your other plants healthy and at the same time they can help you to create an interesting, practical and beautiful garden. 

Herbs can help you to achieve a healthy garden in the follow ways:  

• They provide pollinators (good insects) with nectar and the foliage provides them with shelter. When insects are given both food and shelter, they tend to stay and lay their eggs - this means that means your garden will have constant population replacement of these beneficial insects.
• Some herbs have also been proven to repel insects (garlic and chives being just two). 
• Their scent can confuse pests (so it is a great idea to grow them scattered throughout your garden and vegetable garden). 
• They can provide great ground cover which helps to keep the soil cool and also prevents weed infestation. Ground covers also bind the soil, which prevents your soil washing away in heavy rains.
• Whilst beneficial insects such as hover flies and lacewings and some parasitic wasps feed on nectar only, their progeny are meat - eaters that hunt out and consume insect pests. Other insects hunt pests in both their adult and juvenile phases including ladybirds, spiders, some beetles and so on. 

Which are the best pollinator herbs?

Those with flat open flowers or large flower heads attract the most pollinators. These include: parsley, dill and fennel which are beloved by bees and other beneficial insects; their broad flat flower heads make great landing sites! Calendula, comfrey, lavender and thymes and anise hyssop all attract an array of beneficial insects. Those with lacy foliage provide habitats for insects to hide and lay eggs, yarrow is a good example. Borage attracts butterflies to its foliage on which they lay their eggs. Planting herbs can have an amazing effect on the amount of good and bad insects you can attract to your garden and this creates a great environment for plants, insects and bird. I have found that this works in in my garden and that it is all about creating balance!

Insect Repellent Herbs for the House and Surrounds

Herbs are not just useful in the garden though, obviously we can use them in our daily diet, but they can also be useful as insect repellents in and around the house. Using herbs to repel insects and bugs from people’s houses is not new – the history goes back many centuries, if not thousands of years. The most common way herbs were used was to bruise the plant material and hang it around the house, in your pantry or outside your door. Another method was to burn the plant material (as a fumigant) these methods are still commonly used in the poorer communities throughout the world. Herbs smell so much better than their chemical alternatives too!

Herbal Repellents for you and your Pets

Some herbs can also be used to prevent insects landing on your skin. Most repellents you can buy are derived from the plant’s essential oils and many have been scientifically proven to work including: citronella, catnip and lemon scented gum. Most essential oils though need to be reapplied every two hours or so to maintain the efficacy. Some oils are also combinations of chemical constituents derived from the plant or several plants, a formulation that may be impossible to produce yourself therefore for all repellents made from distilled oils, you are better off buying the essential oil or the finished product. 
Or you could do what our forebears did - just crush the foliage and rub it on. Although most herbs listed are harmless on the skin and rarely cause problems, just test a small area of skin and wait to see if you have a reaction to it, before general use.  

Here are some that you could try:

• Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is a proven mosquito repellent. Nepetalactone, the essential oil in catnip is what creates the repellent. Current research and trials suggest that it is actually 10 times more effective at repelling mosquitoes then the chemical alternative N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (known as DEET). 
• Lemon scented gum (Corymbia citriodora) is another proven mosquito repellent - the leaves comprise 85% citronella oil. It is also widely used in the cosmetics industry.
• Citronella oil (mainly derived from a grass Cymbopogon nardu) is another commonly used effective herb against mosquitoes.
• Lemon Scented Myrtle (Backhousia citriodora) contains high levels of citral and other chemicals that repel mosquitoes and other insects; as well as being anti microbial.
• Beauty bush (Callicarpa americana) this has been used for centuries and is now proven to be effective in repelling mosquitoes - crush the leaves and rub on the skin.
  
  

Others to try: lavender, lemon balm, pineapple sage; grow the ‘mozzie buster’ (Pelargonium citrosum or P. citrodorum) plant it near your back door and crush the leaves as you pass. Lavender too is a great one to have near the back or front door or grow it in a pot on the patio or veranda

Make Some Herbal Repellents

You can make a herbal repellent in several ways:

• As a spray
• As an emulsion (cream)
  
• As a lotion

Here are some recipes to get you started and they will be as effective as their chemical partners as long as you re-apply every 2 hours or so and after swimming:
Essential oils are a great starting point and include:

• Cloves
• Citronella
• Eucalyptus
• Geranium
• Lavender
• Lemon
• Orange
• Peppermint
• Rosemary
• Rose geranium
• Tea tree
• Witch Hazel
• Lemon Scented Myrtle

Most of the above oils will deter mosquitoes (citronella, eucalyptus and those discussed earlier being the most effective). Tea tree oil and rose geranium are both great for ticks. 
Flies hate citronella, eucalyptus, lavender and peppermint.

Insect Repellent Herbal Oil 

To ¼ cup olive oil  or coconut oil ( avocado oil is also good) add 10 drops of essential oil from the list above – you can blend oils if you like (remember though that oils can increase sunburn so take are not to use this if you are going to be out in the sun). Mix well by shaking. 
When blending oils just keep in mind that some work better together than others – for example lavender and lemon are great, but eucalyptus and lemon does have the best scent! Some, like tea tree oil, are best used on their own. 

Insect Repellent Herb Cream

First make a herbal tea:
 Gather fresh herbs in the early morning after the dew has dried - for example lavender, rosemary, mint, or whatever herbs you have at hand that have insect repellent properties (as described earlier). Crush a handful or so of the herbs in a cup of water in a blender or use a mortar and pestle. Place this in a pot and cover with another cup of water, put on a lid. Bring it to a simmering point and simmer for about 5 minutes. Let the herb tea cool. Strain once cool and refrigerate until you are ready to use it.
Now you are ready to make the cream:

• 30grams of lanolin
• 15 grams of beeswax
• 100ml of oil e.g. almond oil
• 30 ml of the herb tea you made
• Melt the lanolin and beeswax in a double boiler or in a bowl over boiling water
• Slowly add the oil a few ml at a time and combine well into the lanolin mix.
• Once the ingredients are combined remove it from the heat and whisk in the herb tea.
• This will need to be refrigerated – you can add some witch hazel extraction (purchased) or a teaspoon of vodka as a preservative if you wish. 
  You can also make a lotion (easier to apply) rather than a cream by replacing the beeswax with cocoa butter but you will also need to increase the amount of tea you include by doubling it to 60mls. 

Herbal Bench Top Spray

Make a herbal spray to deter insects and clean your bench tops: make a herbal tea as described above using peppermint, pennyroyal or even spearmint. Alternatives are lavender and rosemary. Put the tea in a spray bottle and use that to clean your bench tops and to spray around door frames and windows. You can also replace the tea with a few drops of essential oil in distilled vinegar or just plain water (shake well) water. Makes the house smell lovely too! 

Make Your Own Sachets

Try making your own sachets – if you are handy with a needle and thread just make up some little bags (using a light fabric such as organza or similar) with a drawstring top and fill them with your favourite mix. You can use them to scent your clothes and linen and also to prevent moths invading your wardrobe or linen cupboard. Anything with cloves is especially good to repel moths. You can also buy small (sachet) bags online if you are not a crafty type.
Here are some ideas for great combinations for sachets using dried herbs:

• Cloves and thyme in equal amounts.
• Rosemary and mint in equal amounts.
• Peppermint, rosemary, thyme in equal amounts.
• Cloves (I tablespoon), dried lemon peel (1 tablespoon), lavender (the balance).
• Cloves, tansy, peppermint, rosemary and lavender in equal amounts. 
• Wormwood, tansy, cotton lavender (Santolina), rosemary in equal amounts and patchouli oil (a few drops).
  
  

Natural Herbal Teas as Pest Control for your Indoor Plants and Pot Plants

Basil is one of the most popular herb teas used by herb nurseries and farms, particularly in the United States. Rue, garlic, onion, cayenne and wormwood teas are also good for a range of pests; a tea made from Larkspur (Delphinium consolida) is effective against thrips and aphis. Powdered mustard seed will give some control against powdery mildew when dusted on affected leaves. 

Herb teas can be an effective alternative to chemical sprays, if used properly. This generally means: 

• It is important to use the right tea for the right problem. 
• It is important to use the right strength mixture.
• It is important to spray thoroughly and often until the problem goes. 
  
  

To make a tea:

• Place 1 cup of leaves from the herb into a quart of boiling water.
• Keep on the boil for a minute or two. 
• Allow to cool and then strain off the leaves.
• Place the offending pest in a jar and spray it lightly with the herb tea. Don’t drown it!
• If it dies, use this strength spray. If it survives, double the amount of leaves used, make another batch and test that. Keep increasing the amount of leaves until you achieve an affective strength. 

Note: 

Some teas are repellents and though they don’t kill, they will make your “test pest” extremely agitated if they are working. 

Washing with Herbal Oils

Soaps and detergents are often impregnated with herbal oils to give them both disinfectant and repellent properties. Alternatively, adding a few drops of oils like lavender, eucalyptus or lemon scented myrtle; to your clothes washing, or bath water, can help bring the scent of that herb to your home, reducing levels of bacteria, insects and other unwanted nasties.