Rid your garden of pests with leftovers from your fruit bowl this spring
The parts of your fruit you would normally throw away can be the perfect pest deterrent
With temperatures now increasing, more and more people are spending longer in their gardens. It's the perfect time of year to get your garden ready for summer, however one with warmer weather comes more pests.
The annoying creatures can cause chaos to your plants and lawn, which can be very frustrating if you have spent time and effort getting them ready for the brighter days. And It's peak season for garden pests as they are hunting for food sources after coming out of hibernation or having recently just hatched.
Later this month and May is when the pests start to reproduce, forage, and roam so gardeners will be looking for ways to banish them.
However, before people spend money on harsh chemicals, experts are warning that one natural product, that you'll likely have at home, will be more effective to get rid of them from the garden.
Orange peel doesn't just smell and taste incredible to humans, they are also packed with organic compounds which ants feed on.
By tossing orange peels around your garden or near ant trails, you disrupt their food source and make your garden less attractive to them, reports the Express.
Fantastic Pest Control has urged gardeners to use orange peels as a powerful and organic way of getting rid of ants.
Their website reads: "Orange peels are very useful when dealing with an ant infestation in lawns. Believe it or not, they are deadly to ants. The organic components they contain are toxic to the favourite meal of ants – fungi.
"Since ants will search for fungi, if they can't find them, they will choose another garden. Collect the peels from the oranges you have eaten and spread them in your yard."
By placing and sprinkling orange peels around the plants you'd like to protect, this will create a barrier thanks to the strong scent and the d-limonene which is found within the peels of citrus fruits will help you bid adieu to those unwanted garden guests.
This will also work for insects like aphids and whiteflies, as the d-limonene will interfere with their nervous system, and be toxic to them.
This is also toxic for mosquitoes and flies who can quickly ruin an otherwise lovely Easter lunch or peaceful evening in the garden and turn into an insect-infested annoyance.
Make sure to replace the orange peels once they have dried out as the scent and oils they emanate are key to deterring pests and can prove to be a powerful and cost-free way of getting rid of them in no time.
Rats are known for causing chaos in peoples home and gardens, especially during the summer months. Their gluttonous need for food and their burrow-digging antics infuriate home owners.
People are often tempted to set traps or leave poison to stop the rats in their tracks, but this can end up harming other wildlife.
Peppermint – either from oil or plants – is known to fend off the pests. An expert said: "Peppermint oil works a treat to keep the rats out for a long time." Diane Moss suggested: "I love peppermint oil for this. Rats hate the stuff. It worked in my garden and house."
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