Basil, a commonly grown herb, is often used as a natural insect repellent. However, even this plant has its share of predators and must be protected from the insects that eat up the leaves before they even have a chance to develop. Intruders including aphids, whiteflies and slugs are common threats to this herb, but fortunately, you can use a variety of natural methods that do not employ chemicals and effectively deal with the bugs on your own basil plant. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Spray an organic insecticidal soap, such as Safer, on your basil plant to deal with pests like whiteflies and Japanese beetles that can chew on the foliage. The natural solution of the soap does not add any impurities that endanger the plant or make the herb unhealthy to consume.
2. Place wood ashes on the soil around your basil plant to keep bugs such as cutworms away from the young plant's roots. Further, you can create a cutworm collar by cutting out the bottom of a tuna can and inserting it over the basil seedling. Position the can at least an inch deep in the soil to encircle the circumference of the plant and create a secure barrier.
3. Surround the ground of the basil plant with an organic mulch, such as compost, to get rid of nematodes, which are plant-parasitic worms. These insects work to absorb all of the nutrients of the plant, but using a mulch ensures that the plant always has the vitamins it needs.
4. Apply copper taping or fencing around the basil plant to manage slug infestations. You can insert fencing in the ground around the basil, or place a strip of tape on the ground or plant container to give these insects a shock each time this insect tries to cross the copper path.
5. Use a lightweight garden cover, available from a nursery or garden center, to cover your basil plants during the day. These covers protect against the grasshoppers, crickets and aphids that eat basil plants.
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