Planting a garden can be an incredibly rewarding activity. After all, it gives you a chance to get some fresh air, enjoy a fun hobby, and reap the rewards when it’s time to harvest the produce you’ve grown. Unfortunately, garden pests can put a major damper on your gardening activities. Luckily, there are ways that you can naturally deter pests, and one of the most effective is with hot peppers. Talk to your Tucson landscaping company for a comprehensive pest-proofing plan for your garden, and continue reading to learn more about the role that hot peppers can play.
Why Pests Avoid Hot Peppers
The key to hot peppers’ usefulness as a pest deterrent is the same chemical that gives them their spicy flavor: capsaicin. When an animal comes into contact with capsaicin, it causes tissue irritation. Watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, and skin irritation are all common reactions to capsaicin. Due to these uncomfortable effects, many pests will go out of their way to avoid hot peppers.
Which Pests Are Deterred
Hot peppers repel a wide range of garden pests, including both insects and mammals. Spider mites, cabbage looper larvae, aphids, ground squirrels, and rabbits can all be deterred using hot peppers.
How You Can Utilize Hot Peppers for Pest Control
The best way to utilize hot peppers as a pest deterrent in your landscaping is to create a hot pepper spray. Start with a garlic bulb and a small onion—puree these in a food processor, and then combine with a quart of water and one teaspoon of cayenne powder. Allow the mixture to sit for about an hour, and then strain it through a piece of cheesecloth. The mixture can then be added to a spray bottle, along with a tablespoon of dish soap. After that, you can spray the hot pepper mixture on the leaves and stems of plants that you’d like to protect. You can store leftover hot pepper spray in your refrigerator for up to a week.
When you need help with your landscaping in Tucson, there’s one name you can always trust—Complete Landscaping. Whether you need assistance with pest control, weed suppression, tree trimming, or lawn care, our team of landscaping experts is ready to help. For more information, call (520) 323-8918 today.