Bugs will always stray into your garden and find some leaves to munch on.
And getting rid of them with toxic pesticides isn’t something that organic gardening or sustainable living advises you to do.
Luckily, this content creator shared a video that can help you get rid of these bugs without any chemicals, and all you need is a plant.
The Basil
Acorn Land Labs is a Live Oak outdoor lab that tests sustainable and effective solutions for providing food, energy, shelter, and water, among other things.
They shared a video on their Instagram profile where they used basil to deter pests from their garden.
Basil has a very strong and pungent odor, which many bugs and pests cannot stand, says the representative of the Acorn Land Labs.
Therefore, instead of planting this herb only for consumption, you can utilize its fragrance and turn it into a heavy defense against pests.
That’s because basil essential oil contains compounds such as methyl cinnamate, linalool, and estragole, among others. These substances are excellent at fighting off various pests, including American cockroaches. (1)
By placing basil in the center of our raised bed area, the basil odor creates a defense barrier against many bugs, says the creator.
Therefore, strategic placing is immensely important. Center placement is ideal for raised beds and smaller gardens, as indicated by the Acorn Land Labs representative.
However, for larger gardens, he advises putting a perimeter of basil around it, creating a three-angled defense for the plants.
The Benefit
So what are the benefits of using basil as a pest control?
For one, it eliminates the need for pesticides and other harmful chemicals, promoting organic and sustainable living practices.
Spraying these chemicals is rather inconvenient as you have to spend a long time cleaning them afterwards so that you can safely eat them.
Additionally, pesticides can harm the wildlife and the entire ecosystem, so it’s best to turn to natural pest-eradication methods.
Also, basil pest control is a passive way of getting rid of these nuisances. Therefore, you won’t have to “reapply” it, prepare it beforehand, or do anything special to apply it to your plants.
You simply have to plant it in your garden bed and let it do its magic.
Finally, basil is the most unique pest-control because you can eat it. Harvest its foliage for various Italian and Thai dishes, and enjoy.
The Reaction
The reaction and comments below the video lived up to expectations, with some offering additional advice and others being thankful for this hack.
One commenter couldn’t believe it was that easy to get rid of pests, saying: So instead of pesticides we could just increase the production of basil?
Another asked for growing tips saying: How do you keep it alive for the whole season? Ours dies so fast.
While others were simply thankful for sharing this video: Good to know, thank you👏.
References:
1. Nour, A. H., Idris, A. A., Ishag, Q. A., & Nour, A. H. (2022). Chemical Composition and Repellent Activity of Methyl Cinnamate-Rich Basil (Ocimum basilicum) Essential Oil. Journal of the Turkish Chemical Society.