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Up until now, I have been looking at one herb per issue, giving you growing tips, recipes, health benefits and cosmetic or household uses. This issue, I thought I would focus on a problem.
What herbs are best to repel mosquitos?
There are quite a few and I've got together some stuff which I hope you will find useful.
Mosquitos really are a pain in the proverbial. They bite and make you itch and sometimes they can spread disease, so anything you can do to lessen their presence around you is all for the good.
What a great idea - Mosquito Repellant Bracelets from OneGoodThingbyJillee.
You can either make the bracelet yourself (full instructions with photos) or use the repellant recipe on a bought bracelet or one you already own.
Excellent idea - perfect to give to your kids when they're out and about or hand round when you're sitting outdoors.
If you've ever wondered why some people get the life bitten out of them and some seem to get away scott free, then this short, less than two minute video might help you.
Please do NOT use it as an excuse to stop exercising!
I wouldn't recommend the Deet or Permethrin mentioned in the video though - read on through this issue to find out what you can use instead.
WellnessMama has a fabulous amount of information and 'recipes' for you to choose from.
You can try a sample lesson to help you decide if the Herbal Academy of New England is the right choice for you - click the link below.
Preview Lesson from the Introductory Herbal CourseAren't these pretty? Won't they look gorgeous on the table when the lights go down. I think you could use them indoors or out - either way, they're sensational.
Claire from ALittleClaireifcation.com shows you how to make these Bug Repellant Mason Jars.
Double duty, bug repellant and pretty lights :-)
When you've done, compost the lemon and herb - thank them for their service.
Aren't these gorgeous? Couldn't you just imagine one of two of these pots in your garden, filled with herbs and full of scent.
Marvellous Mosaics - I've found a great video for you to watch as well, showing you how to make some really simple pots for yourself.
You will need some broken bits of pottery, shells, stones, glass beads - anything that grabs your imagination.
Simply get some tile cement, paste it onto your container and away you go. It’s certainly something the kids can help you with. Use grout to finish them off and varnish with some weather proof sealant for something you will never see in anyone else’s garden. Use gardening gloves to protect your hands whilst you do the grouting and you won’t go far wrong.
It's a great way to use up old crockery. I do hate throwing things away, I get so sentimental about old things, thinking about the people who've used them but are gone. This is a great way of using up old dinner sets and you'll be able to remember people every time you look at it.
Another thing I've always wanted to do, is make a table top out of mosaic - one day...
Do share if you have any great pots of sculptures you've made yourself!
I'm going to apologise now - this video has some fabulous ideas for using mosaic outdoors, but it has the most awful music and is just a series of photographs.
So, turn your speakers off and just watch the photos - from plant pots, bird baths, bricks, stepping stones and pebbles to a bathroom sink, fire pit, wall murals and a chair!
Using a variety of materials, broken pottery, pebbles, glass beads, shapes and imagination, what you can achieve is just amazing!
Far less irritating video here ;-)
A great example of how mosaic can really transform your outdoor space.
A WOW moment - can you imagine how wonderful this would look?
And finally, the 'how to' make a mosaic flower pot.
This video is short, to the point and has been viewed over 300,000 times!
It's incredibly simple to make these pots and you're recycling stuff that would otherwise go into landfill.
A great kid's project to get them involved in making the garden gorgeous.
I love DIYNatural.com there are so many projects on the site, it's hard to choose.
I've decided that I'm going to run a little with the 'one ingredient' theme that I started over the last two issues.
I hate having a long list of ingredients when I'm making something - you end up with a cupboard full of half used packets that go out of date. So, I decided that for the time being, I would concentrate on what you can make with beeswax and regular household things, like oil, honey and essential oils and plants that are easy to come by.
Beeswax candles have been found in the tomb of Tutankamun and are perfectly good - now, that's some shelf life there!!
These handy little drawer fresheners are designed to make your clothes smell good, doing away with needing scented wash additives. Every little bit helps when it comes to the environment.
They're reusable, because when the scent has gone, you just re-melt them and add some more oils.
If you do need some beeswax, I can recommend getting it via Amazon - these are two really good quality ones and have excellent reviews. When I ordered mine, it arrived in two or three days.
There is a recipe for a Homemade Lotion in Issue #5 and Furniture Polish in Issue #3 - all back issues of Herb Guide News are available *free* at the bottom of this page.
Herbs to Repel Mosquitos - this is what started it all. I had an email from someone asking me if I knew what herbs she could plant to deter mosquitos and so I thought I'd do a page on my site because it's something that's really useful to know.
Then I got to thinking, it might be a great idea for a magazine issue to explore the different ways you can use herbs and essential oils to deter mosquitos and other bugs.
Click the list to read more about these herbs.
This is a fabulous article on using herbs and essential oils to make bug sprays. I would really test these out rather than use chemicals on your skin.
WellnessMama has four recipes of different strength Homemade Bug Sprays and some great tips for you.
A fairly effective way of controlling the buzzing insects who are trying to invade your space.
Like I said, you can murder them or repel them - your choice, but this very simple and quick to make Mosquito Trap from DIYNatural will certainly fill the bill.
There's two different traps here - one for Mosquitos and one for wasps and hornets plus some very useful tips.
There is some excellent advice about treating severe mosquito bites in children at NaturallyLoriel.
I'm reluctant to use a photo link here - it's of a very sore and inflamed bite and it's on a small child, so it might upset some people.
Hop over to her site and have a read of how badly her son has reacted and what the 'incredibly simple' treatment has been.
She talks of how a bite can swell to the size of a dime in minutes, begin to ooze fluid and become very painful and how, by pure chance, someone sent her a Facebook post just at the time she needed it.
I completed the Herbal Academy of New England Introductory Herbal Course last year - I loved doing it.
You'll find recipes for natural remedies, cosmetics and household cleaners, enabling you to ditch chemicals and not expose yourself and your family to the harmful additives that are in so many products.
Have a read about the course in depth by clicking on the photo.
I had to share this with you when I read it. Last issue, we looked at the kid's project of drying herbs using a car - this lady takes it one step further and uses her car as a greenhouse as well as for drying herbs.
I expect it would be great for drying berries too - I'll perhaps give it a go this fall.
Article and graphic MotherEarthNews
Just WOW! What an awesome result and it really does work. I tried it myself last year when my plants were getting holes in from some unknown bug and it worked a treat.
Jami from AnOregonCottage pinky swears these photos are of the same plant!!
Find out how to make the Mint and Garlic Bug Spray - have a good look round her site - it's full of great tips.
While we're on the topic of 'repelling' I thought you might like to see how to make some sweet smelling moth repellent sachets. So much nicer than the mothballs that used to be the only option!
HomespunSeasonalLiving.com takes you through the really easy way to protect your woollens from becoming moth food!
This article was presented to the Psychological Society's Conference by Northumbria University.
It recommends using herbs to enhance memory and several other herbs that have excellent properties that are worth growing.
Which herbs are they? Have a guess and see if you're right.
Photo and article published in the ExpressOnline
This looks a great idea if you don't want to use your car, don't have a dehydrator or are reluctant to try the oven method.
Air drying is the best method but it can be hard to find somewhere in a modern house to do it.
The Herbal Academy of New England has instructions on how to make a drying screen - as you can see, it can be used for any plant material - leaves or flowers and I suspect berries would dry very well on it too.
The air can circulate and that's important if you don't want your herbs going fusty.
I would think you could use old picture frames too which would save you the job of making your own frames.
Part 4 in the 'Herbs to go With' series is Chicken. Once again, this isn't exhaustive and I'm sure I've put herbs on here that people will disagree with and there are herbs that others would say must be on the list.
Anyway - this is *my* list ;-) and if you click on it, you will find a great variety of recipes and ideas to make your meals full of flavor.
A great mixture of oil and essential oils to repel mosquitos.
Don't try and put this mixture in a spray bottle as it will clog up the nozzle - use one with a dropper or a roller ball bottle.
Kris from Attainable-Sustainable shares this recipe for a DIY Mosquito Repellent.
This is a great site on sustainability, growing food and changing habits - pop over, have a look and see what little changes you can make to become more independent of the corporations who are trying to tell us that we can't do without them. Oh yes we caaannn!!
Last but not least, I must share this with you.
TimberCreekFarmer has some great information about which herbs will keep your chickens healthy and some great infographics that you can download and keep handy.
There's guidance for various issues, lack of laying, molting, parasites, pests and injuries.
Herbs aren't just for humans, they're for our fur babies and feathered friends too!
Check out the back issues of Herb Guide News.
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