basil repellant?

[jongonz70]

has anyone heard of using basil as a repellant/ pesticide? do you just put basil plants in your garden or do u make a spray mixture out of it? i don't have any bug problems as of now, i was just curious as to if it would work or not.

[Kisal]

I've heard of it, but mostly in reference to companion planting with things like tomatoes and beans.

I've also heard that rubbing a leaf on yourself will repel mosquitoes and flies.

I have not heard of using it to make a spray for other plants.

[Sani]

I've read that too, but I found that insects will gladly hang around basil and seem indifferent.

[Kisal]

I was just remembering when a colony of ants decided to take up residence in one of my potted basil plants! They didn't seem to have any objections to the environment, and I'm sure they would have brought their little freeloading aphid friends along had I not issued a stern eviction notice.

[jongonz70]

LOL! thats what i was thinking. i figured it was too good to be true. Thanks all!!!! i appreciate the responses.

-Jon

[jmilisitz]

I was just remembering when a colony of ants decided to take up residence in one of my potted basil plants! They didn't seem to have any objections to the environment, and I'm sure they would have brought their little freeloading aphid friends along had I not issued a stern eviction notice.

I am having the same any problem. What did you use?

[jmilisitz]

has anyone heard of using basil as a repellant/ pesticide? do you just put basil plants in your garden or do u make a spray mixture out of it? i don't have any bug problems as of now, i was just curious as to if it would work or not.

does the basil work? how do you make the basil to spray or do you just throw some on there?

Thanks for your help!

[Kisal]

As I noted in my first post in this thread, I have not heard of making basil into a spray to repel insects from other plants.

I was just remembering when a colony of ants decided to take up residence in one of my potted basil plants! They didn't seem to have any objections to the environment, and I'm sure they would have brought their little freeloading aphid friends along had I not issued a stern eviction notice.

I am having the same any problem. What did you use?

I submerged the entire pot in water for 20 minutes. After I removed it from the water, I put a bubbler on the garden hose and let water run into the pot overnight, so the soil was thoroughly drenched. The ants moved out sometime during the night. The plant did fine. Overwatering a plant once won't harm the roots, as long as the soil is allowed to drain well afterward. It's repeated overwatering that kills roots.

[rainbowgardener]

Things that are more aromatic than basil work better for insect repellant. Type garlic pepper spray into Search the Forum and you will find lots of recipes for that. Mints work well, especially pennyroyal which is very intense, also yarrow and tansy.