I made my mother guest blog. She is thinking of starting her own, and I think she should! I'll keep you posted. Anyways, here are her thoughts on all things herb gardens. Enjoy!
Insect pests generally have pretty poor eyesight and as a result they seek out their dinner by scent rather than sight. In your own garden or patio, you can easily confuse those bugs by mixing up the scents that waft their way on the breeze. There is something about herbs that is repellent to most insect pests. They don't like to eat herbs, and they don't like to smell them. You can take advantage of this by inter-planting all your gardens with herb plants. Almost all herbs are good for discouraging insect pests, because almost all herbs have strong scents. Some are particularly repellent to particular insects. Of course, most of these little pest controllers are also good for cooking gourmet meals. With a little knowledge you can enjoy both benefits of herb gardening.
Did you ever admire window boxes in pictures of cottages from days past? They were charming, but the real reason people had them in their windows was to deter flies, mosquitoes, and other bugs. The people in the past did not have air conditioners or usually even screens for their open windows in the summer. Flowers that come to mind for this use are geraniums and marigolds. If you think about it, these don’t smell sweet like some. The bugs don’t think so either, so they move on. Planting these around your back door will work for you too.
Basil – Speaking of flying insects, another herb that deters flies and mosquitoes is Sweet Basil. Basil also discourages tomato worm so it needs a place in your veggie garden as well as near the back door. Best of all, fresh basil makes lovely pesto and other culinary delights. Basil plants come in a purple as well as green varieties. It is easy to grow from seed in gardens or pots, and transplants are available at garden centers. It prefers a part sun, part shade setting, but it is really not too particular. Basil is an annual, but you can bring a pot indoors in the winter.
Garlic – Garlic is another herb we cannot do without, cooking or gardening. It also discourages pests by its odor. It even deters fungi, as well as aphids, beetles and spider mites. Plant garlic around everything except beans. Garlic grows from a bulb. If you examine it, you see that it will break down into several small bulbets. Some say it helps to refrigerate the bulbs first, if not planting in winter. When you are ready to plant, break the large bulb into small pieces. Save the small ones for eating and plant the bigger ones for best results. For more information, go to www.garlicfarm.ca/.
Mint – Another must have in herbs is mint. You can find many varieties of mint such as spearmint and peppermint. All kinds of mint are great in drinks in summer, and they also deter insects. A pot or two of mint on the patio will delight you as well as deter pests. Be wary, however of putting mint in a garden setting. They tend to take over an area. They are best in a pot all their own. Mint can be grown from seed, from dividing with a friend who has a large plant, or from a transplant from a nursery. Mint needs part sun, and are easy to grow. Mint does like lots of water. It may be your first plant to show wilt from needing water, especially as it gets hot.
Rosemary – Rosemary is one of those must haves in the herb category. It is even evergreen, so you have it all winter. I have a large stand of rosemary in the back of one of my rose beds near a back door. It helps with the bugs in the roses, as well as bugs going into the house. It deters flies, mosquitoes, other flying bugs such as moths, and beetles. It is good to have in the vegetable garden too for pest control, especially around carrots and cabbage family veggies. Also I have even used it for greenery around Christmas. It looks like little pine branches when cut. Sometimes you find it cut into the shape of a little Christmas tree. Beware taking a large amount of rosemary indoors though, because the odor can be very strong. You will probably like the scent if you use it in small doses. It makes wonderful chicken dishes too. Plant rosemary from a transplant or a division from somewhere such as my house. I have an abundance of rosemary.
Sage – Sage is a beautiful and tasty herb to include in your plantings. Sage is one of the stars in Italian cooking. It also deters insects in general. Sage is hard to grow from seed, so the easiest way to grow it is with a small transplant. It usually comes with a gray green foliage which contrasts nicely with other herbs planted in a group. A great idea is to have one of several herbs and plant them together in a big pot, a washtub (punch holes in the bottom for drainage) or an old wheel barrel. I have my late father’s old wheelbarrow planted with herbs. It came complete with holes already in it. It sits near my back door, but if a storm comes up, or it gets too hot later in the summer, it is easy to move to a different location.
Tansy – Please note that we do not eat tansy. It is a beautiful fern-like plant that works wonders in the bug deterrent department, but it is toxic to pets and small children. Think carefully where you would put tansy to be sure that it would not be mistaken for an edible herb. I have one near a back door, but I plan to put in a hanging basket for safety. It is great to deter flying insects, beetles, ants, and even squash bugs. It has a strong odor. If you have a pesky fly or mosquito, just pinch the tansy leaf which releases the scent. Problem solved.
Thyme – Thyme is one of my favorite herbs. I especially like lemon-scented thyme, and there are other flavors available that are very suited for Italian cooking. Thyme is a small ground cover-type plant which spreads as it grows. It has leaves smaller than clover. It is great as flavoring for chicken and other dishes. It fits in beautifully in a mixed herb bed too. Thyme also makes a great edging along a bed or a walkway. If you step on it, the wonderful subtle scent is released. Some people plant thyme in between rocks on a rock walkway for that very reason. It can be grown from seed or transplants. Sometimes it comes back the next year. As an insect deterrent, it discourages cabbage worms and cutworms in the garden.
Cilantro –No Mexican meal is complete without this herb. The leaves are called Cilantro, and the seeds are used as a spice called Coriander. It is in the parsley family and looks very much like flat parsley. The aroma is definitely different. To use Cilantro, just snip the leaves off the plant, wash, and chop. In the garden cilantro repels aphids, 
Oregano -- Oregano (sometimes called Pot Marjoram) is a chief spicing ingredient in Italian and Greek dishes. It also works well as a general insect repellant. Oregano is perennial and gets to be 2-3 feet. It is best to prune oregano plants to keep them compact. It prefers dry warm weather, but is easy to grow almost anywhere. Grow with transplants from a nursery or from divisions from a friend. (Marjoram is a type of oregano.)
For more information on growing different herbs in your garden see http://herbgardening.com/.
To make your own organic pest control: Grind 3 large onions, 1 bunch of garlic and 3 hot peppers. Mix with water and leave overnight in a covered container. In the morning, strain through fine strainer or cheesecloth and add sufficient water to produce approximately one gallon (16 cups) of pesticide.
- Beth Thornton
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