Gardeners love their plants, flowers, grasses and bushes. A beautiful garden is what they strive for during their favorite spring and summer seasons, but along with beautiful blooms comes a trove of pesky pest and insects that could ruin any garden in no time at all. The sad thing about this issue is that many people believe that there is only one way to get rid of these creatures, but there is another way.

When using chemicals to kill insects, keep in mind that they can also kill your favorite domestic pet. Toxic pesticides are considered an active poison. They are extremely dangerous to your health, your pet’s health and our environment.

Every year, thousands of domestic pets and wild life lose their lives to the ravaging effects of pesticide poisoning. Most pet lovers also enjoy gardening and the great outdoors. Little do they know what caustic ingredients are in the pesticides that are being sprayed on lawns. Taken for granted is the fact that most herbicides used by gardeners or sold in stores are safe.

This is scary, did you know that brands such as “Weed n’ Feed” and “Round Up” contain the same deadly cancer causing ingredients that are found in Agent Orange. Another synthetic poison found in these two well known garden products is 2,4-D. It is also the active ingredient found in “Killex.” It can cause loss of reflex in humans along with comas, kidney and liver failure. In dogs it is the number one killer causing malignant lymphomas, a form of cancer.

Sadly, just five percent of pesticides reach their target weeds and garden pest. The rest are absorbed into our earth, targeting our water supplies through a process called run off or simply just dissipates into our air. Major health damage can occur when toxic pesticides are absorbed through our skin, swallowed or inhaled. When not applied correctly, pesticides can settle on ponds, pools, children’s toys, pets left outdoors and even drift through open windows settling on our furniture, bedding and even our floors.

What we don’t realize is how wide spread pesticide poisoning really is. These caustic chemicals are virtually used many garden products. Here are some easy recipes to get rid of bugs naturally.

To keep ants out of the house or garden sprinkle ground cinnamon around base of house.

Sprinkle it on ant beds, to kill the ants (or they will travel to your neighbor’s yards). For your garden: sprinkle concentrated lemon juice round the whole garden, keeps ants & insects out of garden. Both are ok to use if you have pets or little kids around, safe for all to use & you can get the kids to do it for you without worry!

MOSQUITO/INSECT REPELLENT

Formula 1: Ingredients

Aloe Vera gel

Essential oils of citronella

Tea tree oil

Lavender oil

Stir all ingredients together
Mix becomes opaque.

Get rid of slugs and snails by spreading crushed eggshells where they are prone to travel. They won't travel over the rough surface and if they do, it's good-bye slug.

* You can also get rid of snails and slugs with yucky, cheap beer. Just fill a jar lid with beer and place it where snails and slugs like to hang out. It's best to get it as flush with the ground as possible, so you may have to dig a little indention in the dirt.

* Want one more slug remedy? Coffee is a great fix as well. Spread your used coffee grounds around slug or snail infested areas.

Ladybugs eat aphids. Most experts agree that purchased lady bugs are not always the best for controlling aphids and that it's better to attract them naturally. You can do that by planting: parsley, wild buckwheat, white sweet clover, tansy, sweet fennel, sweet alyssum, spearmint, Queen Anne's lace, hairy vetch, flowering buckwheat, crimson clover, cowpeas, common knotweed, caraway and black locust.

Give yourself a pat on the back.
Lastly, you deserve a little thanks for doing your part to protect the environment. If every gardener starts with their own back yard, it will make a big difference in our quality of life.