All of us have to deal with pest control at some point -- whether it's ants in the kitchen, aphids in the garden or roaches in the bathroom. But you don't have to go all toxic on the little buggers -- there are kinder, gentler ways to eradicate them.
What's a natural way to get rid of ants?
Put a little pile of sugar at their entry point.
Spray them with lemon juice.
Set cucumber slices around your kitchen counter.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
Ants apparently don't like cucumber, especially bitter cucumber, so you can put some slices of it around problem areas.
I've heard of companion planting as a natural pest control method. What is it, exactly?
working with a friend so one can look out for pests while the other plants
planting in groups instead of rows to discourage weeds
planting pairs or combinations of plants together to repel various insects and weeds
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
When certain combinations of different plants are put side-by-side, one of the plants can act to repel pests from the other. One might release a scent that discourages bugs on the other, for example.
Why is African marigold known as a good companion plant?
because its leaves shade other plants
because it attracts flies that eat pests from other plants
because its strong roots strangle weeds that might kill other plants
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
African marigolds (which are actually from Mexico) are often planted with fruits and vegetables because the flowers attract hoverflies, which eat pesky aphids off the fruit and vegetable plants.
