Pests can be a real pain to deal with in the garden, but herbs can help. When it comes to pest control, herbs are natural and effective. While not an exhaustive list of herbs that repel pests from your herb garden, here are just a few plants you may want to grow. Garden Pests like snails, slugs, and caterpillars will eat away at your plants if you don’t take care of it fast. Whether you’re growing a vegetable garden or an herb garden, having pests can ruin your plants as they feast on them. Not only will they eat away at the leaves but they will also destroy the buds and flowers that appear later in the season. Common pests ravaging your herb garden? Here’s how to identify and attack common herb garden pests, plus 5+ natural pest control strategies!

Natural Pest Control For Herb Gardens

Neem oil

Neem oil is a natural insecticide. It’s made from the Neem tree, which is native to India and other parts of Asia. A synthetic version of neem oil has been registered by the EPA as an effective insecticide for controlling pests in gardens, nurseries, and greenhouse vegetables. The natural version can also be used as a preventive measure against pests before they ever become a problem in your garden or home.

Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth is a naturally occurring, soft and chalky substance that is mined from sedimentary rock deposits. It is composed of the fossilized remains of tiny marine organisms called diatoms.

For pest control purposes, food grade diatomaceous earth (DE) can be used to keep insects away from many garden plants. DE works because it’s harmful to bugs when they come into contact with it: the sharp edges of its microscopic particles pierce their outer layer and irritate their skin so much that they die from dehydration or poisoning within a few hours.

The best way to apply DE for natural pest control in your herb garden is by dusting soil around each plant before planting them in pots or directly into the ground. If you’re applying DE to flowers or leaves instead of soil, then sprinkle some on top using your hands as longs as you don’t press too hard so as not dislodge any hairs or make contact with delicate petals; otherwise just use an old paintbrush instead!

Cilantro

There are many ways to control pests in your herbs, but cilantro is one of the easiest and most effective. Cilantro is a great herb to plant in your garden because it repels aphids and spider mites. It’s also an excellent companion plant for basil, chives and dill (as shown below).

When planting cilantro near other plants that attract pests like tomatoes or cucumbers, you can use it as an early warning system by planting it around these plants first. If the pests arrive on your other plants before they arrive at yours then you’ll know that they’re coming from somewhere else before it gets too late for action!

Horseradish

Horseradish is a strong-smelling plant that repels bugs and can also be used as a natural herbicide. Horseradish is best planted in early spring, when the ground is still cold and moist. If you have time, you can plant horseradish seeds indoors so they have time to germinate before being transplanted outside.

Sprinkle the seed over moist soil that has been dug up slightly with your hands. The seed will take several days before they start to germinate; in fact, it may take up to two weeks for them to get going! When you see small shoots appear above the surface of the soil (after about 10 days), gently pull them from their roots (which are also visible at this point) so that only 1 inch remains below ground level.

Horseradish grows rapidly once established and should reach about 2 feet tall by summertime if left untreated by pests or disease!

Garlic spray

Garlic spray is easy to make and highly effective. Simply mix garlic powder (or fresh chopped garlic) with water or oil in a blender, then strain the mixture through cheesecloth. Use this mixture as a foliar spray on plants to repel pests like aphids and whiteflies. If your garden is particularly large, you may need multiple batches of garlic spray made at once to ensure that it has remained effective from day to day; otherwise, reapply the spray after rainstorms or heavy dew so pests do not have time to build up resistance.[4]

These ingredients can be used to control insect pests in your herb garden.

• These ingredients can be used to control insect pests in your herb garden.
• The following items are safe for use around people and pets, but you should take care when handling them and wear protective equipment:
• Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a dust that kills soft-bodied insects like fleas, ticks and bed bugs by dehydrating them. It can also be applied as an abrasive to control slugs and snails by puncturing their skin.
• Neem oil is extracted from the seed kernels of the neem tree; it has pesticidal properties and acts as both a repellent (to discourage insects from returning) or as a contact poison on small arthropods such as aphids. It must be washed off vegetables before they’re eaten or else they’ll gain an unpleasant smell or taste.
• Pyrethrins are botanical insecticides derived from chrysanthemum flowers; they’re considered safer than other pesticides because they break down quickly after being sprayed on plants so there’s no residue left behind in soil or water supplies—but it’s still important to follow label instructions so you don’t accidentally kill beneficial insects while trying to wipe out pests!