Description
Essential Oils for the Home & Garden
If you are trying to limit your exposure to toxic and synthetic chemicals in your garden and home essential oils can be valuable tools. They are well-known for their wellness virtues for humans, and can also be precious allies to protect your plants naturally and ecologically.
These oils have been used for thousands of years for their medicinal and cosmetic benefits, and their power lies in the hundreds of chemical constituents they contain. Whether you are trying to chase away garden pests from your vegetable or flower garden, protect your plants against diseases, or simply to improve their overall health, we can use these natural defences to our advantage in both our home and garden, using products you can store in your medicine chest. How cool is that!
Ginger Essential Oil
Steam distilled from the rhizomes of Zingiber officinale, native to Southeast Asia, this thin, pale amber oil is responsibly sourced from traditional regions in Southeast Asia.
In the Garden & Home
Ginger acts as a natural bio-insecticide because it contains bioactive compounds like zingiberene, citral and gingerols which act through contact toxicity to naturally disrupt the metabolism, digestion, and sensory systems of soft-bodied insects like Aphids, Spider Mites, and Ants, deterring them from your plants.
It primarily combats Mosquitoes, Cockroaches, stored-product beetles like the Red Flour Beetle, soft bodied insects like Aphids and Mites, as well as Lice.
Mosquitoes
Yellow Fever Mosquito (Aedes aegypti)
This mosquito species acts as the primary vector for viruses like dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever. It is most commonly found along the Indian Ocean coastline, specifically in KwaZulu-Natal.
House Mosquito (Culex theileri)
The house mosquito is widely distributed in South Africa. It is an abundant floodwater and mammophilic mosquito species commonly found on the temperate inland plateau, such as the Highveld and the Karoo.
A mammophilic mosquito is one that specifically prefers to feed on the blood of mammals such as humans, livestock, and rodents, rather than on birds or reptiles. These species are highly significant in epidemiology because they act as “bridging vectors,” transmitting zoonotic diseases like West Nile virus from animals to humans.
Southern House Mosquito (Culex quinquefasciatus)
In South Africa, this is a widespread domestic mosquito and well-known for its high nuisance value, particularly in urban and rapidly developing or informal settlement areas. It is also known to be a competent vector in the transmission of certain arboviruses. Arboviruses are a diverse group of viruses that are maintained in nature through biological transmission between susceptible vertebrate hosts and blood-sucking arthropods like mosquitoes, ticks, midges, and sandflies.
Ginger essential oil acts as both a spatial repellent and an effective bio-larvicide.
A bio-larvicide is an environmentally safe, biologically derived agent, such as insecticidal microorganisms or natural toxins, used to kill mosquito and pest larvae before they mature into adulthood. It serves as a sustainable, eco-friendly alternative to chemical pesticides for controlling vector-borne diseases like malaria and dengue.
Red Flour Beetles & Confused Flour Beetle
Ginger essential oil is widely recognized for combatting Red Flour Beetles, (Tribolium castaneum), a small reddish-brown beetle, and a common stored-product pest in South Africa. They are frequently confused with the closely related Confused Flour Beetle (Tribolium confusum). These beetles thrive in our warm climate and are frequently found in pantries, grain storage facilities, bakeries, and supermarkets. Both are major external feeders that target cereal products like flour, oats, pasta, and nuts.
Mediterranean Flour Moth (Ephestia kuehniella)
The Mediterranean flour moth is a global pest originally from Europe. In South Africa it is a well-known stored-product pest, primarily thriving in flour mills, warehouses, bakeries, and domestic pantries where it feeds on cereal grains, flour, and processed grain products.
Additionally, because it is highly prolific, the eggs of Ephestia kuehniella are used commercially in South Africa as a host for rearing beneficial insects such as Trichogramma wasps, used in agricultural biological control.
Pantry Moth (Plodia interpunctella)
Ginger essential oil demonstrates strong contact toxicity and repellence on this pest, effectively limiting crop damage during storage. The Indian Meal Moth or Pantry Moth is widespread in South Africa. It is a highly prevalent stored-product pest that frequently infests homes, warehouses, and food processing facilities across the country.
The larvae feed exclusively on dry food products. In South African pantries, they are commonly found in grains and cereals, flour and baking mixes, dried fruits and nuts, pet food and birdseed.
Cockroaches
The oil is also effective against Cockroaches like the American Cockroach (Periplaneta americana). Despite its name, this large, reddish-brown cockroach species is actually native to Africa and was spread globally through trade. While it thrives all over the world, in South Africa it is particularly common in warm, humid, and damp environments, and the roaches are heavily concentrated in the country’s warmer, coastal regions like KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, and parts of the Western Cape, as well as warmer inland areas like the Limpopo Lowveld. However, they can be found in urban environments throughout the country. Because they often travel between sewers, waste, and homes, they are considered a significant public health nuisance and are known to contaminate food and trigger indoor allergies in sensitive individuals.
Poultry Shaft Louse & Poultry Mites
Poultry Shaft Louse (Menopon gallinae) and Poultry Mites (Menopon gallinae) are common ectoparasites that infests free-range and village chickens throughout South Africa. Menopon gallinae is a species of chewing lice that feeds on feather debris and dead skin, often causing severe irritation in poultry. It spreads through direct contact between birds or via other hosts like wild birds, and it completes its entire life cycle on the chicken.
When blended with Citronella Essential Oil, Ginger Essential Oil has been shown to cause 100% mortality in vitro and significantly reduce ectoparasite incidence in vivo.
To make a spray
To use ginger essential oil in your organic garden, create a diluted spray to repel insect pests and also to protect against fungal diseases.
Mix 10-20 drops of ginger essential oil with 1 teaspoon of gentle liquid soap to act as an emulsifier into 1 Litre of water. Shake the mixture vigorously so the oil is fully dispersed into the soapy water.
In the home
Indoors, the scent of gingers warm, spicy, slightly woody aroma with a hint of citrus, is both invigorating and comforting, with middle to base notes that blend well in aromatherapy with lemon, orange, cinnamon, and frankincense. It is often used in massage, wellness, and energy-boosting applications.
Ginger essential oil is widely used in holistic wellness, mainly for digestive support and to relieve nausea, including motion or morning sickness. In massage oils it is used in respiratory blends and for pain relief. Ginger is a natural stimulant helping combat fatigue and enhancing mental focus, making it a popular choice in invigorating blends. The spicy-citrusy scent is emotionally warming and grounding, helping to uplift mood and reduce stress or anxiety.
- Add a few drops to a diffuser to create a peaceful, meditative atmosphere.
- Dilute with carrier oil for use in massages or skincare applications.
- Combine with Epsom salts and other relaxing oils for a deeply calming bath soak.
How to Use Essential Oils for Pest Control
When it comes to organic gardening, prevention is better than cure, and spraying crops regularly with essential oils to prevent insect infestation and disease is the most effective method. This will not only chase pests away, but also make your garden smell great!
Always use pure essential oils, and because they are so potent, always dilute them first.
How to dilute essential oils
One of the drawbacks of using essential oils in the garden is that the levels of terpenes and other constituents can vary greatly depending on the region where the plants are grown, genetics, climate and other seasonal factors. Therefore, maintaining consistency in the chemical profile of the oils is hard.
For example, Rosemary oil extracted from plants growing in two different regions of Italy will contain varying levels of α-pinene, ranging from 11% to 36%. Another study showed that essential oils extracted from different chemotypes of garden thyme did not have the same toxicity against the bean weevil.
This is the reason why, if you look for exact recipes for the oil you wish to use in the garden, you will find many different quantities of oil versus water used.
Another factor to take into account is the actual number of drops in a milliliter can vary greatly depending on the thickness of the liquid: Thicker liquids like essential oils produce larger drops, meaning it takes fewer drops to make 1mL. Different dropper bottles or droppers also have varying nozzle sizes, which changes the volume of a single drop.
In standard pharmaceutical measurements, 1 mL is equal to approximately 20 drops (meaning 1 drop is about 0.05 mL). Therefore, 10 drops are typically equal to about 0.5 mL.
This is why physicians do not rely on counting drops, as this can lead to incorrect dosing. Instead they use an oral syringe, a graduated measuring cup, or the specific dropper provided with the medicine.
Because the actual number of drops in a millilitre can vary greatly depending on the thickness of the liquid and varying nozzle sizes, which changes the volume of a single drop, I recommend starting with the lowest recommended dosage. You can always increase it later.
CAUTION:
Because the actual number of drops in a millilitre can vary greatly depending on the thickness of the liquid and varying nozzle sizes, which changes the volume of a single drop, I recommend starting with the lowest recommended dosage. You can always increase it later.
Preventative spraying
A general guideline when mixing sprays to deter insects, and for anti-fungus protection is to mix 4–8 drops of Essential Oil in 1 Litre of water with an emulsifier.
Garden Sprays
At certain times of the year various pests and diseases will be more prevalent, so for stronger protection dosages can be increased.
Generally you will find recommended dosages are between 10-20 drops per Litre of water.
Always Test Sprays First
Unless you apply very high doses of essential oils, they are perfectly safe to use in the garden. However, because the strengths of essential oils vary, to ensure they do not cause leaf burn, it’s important to always test your spray on a small, isolated area of the plant first. Wait at least 24 hours to check for damage before applying it everywhere.
A good method of remembering which leaves you tested your spray on is to tie string or ribbon onto the stems that have been sprayed.
Take Notes
Taking note of which plants were tested and the dosages used, will soon give you a good indication of the strengths your plants need for protection.
Mixing your spray
The Emulsifier:
Soap is essential as an emulsifier as essential oils do not mix with water and will float to the top, potentially burning your plants. A gentle liquid dish soap, pure liquid Castile or Black soap can be used.
Approximately one teaspoon of liquid soap emulsifier is used in one litre of water. Witch hazel, Vodka, or apple cider vinegar also emulsifies oil and water.
The Method:
In a small glass container, mix your essential oils with your emulsifier, then add some of the water and stir well. Warming the water helps with emulsification. Add the oil mix to the spray bottle with the rest of the warm water. Agitate well and also regularly whilst spraying.
Applying your Oils
Spraying in the middle of a hot, sunny day can cause leaf burn, so always apply the mixture in the cool of early morning or late afternoon. Remember to agitate the spray bottle well before use, and regularly while spraying. Ensure that you spray underneath the leaves where insects commonly hide.
During the cooler times of the day beneficial daytime pollinators are not that active. Never spray plants if you can see beneficial pollinators like bees around the plants. Even organic sprays can be abused in the garden, so as they say “everything in moderation”.
NOTE: The strength of the oils will evaporate, so reapply to plants after rain, every 2 weeks, or as needed.
Cotton Ball Method
To target specific insects in large numbers, like ant hills or rodent burrows, take some cotton balls and add a few drops of essential oils to them. Place the cotton ball right onto the ant hill, burrow or other insect grouping. This will cause them to relocate immediately. If that doesn’t work immediately you should repeat the process using a stronger solution.
You can also rub the oils onto any hard surfaces to create a long-lasting barrier.
Hanging Strips to Deter Pests
Add essential oils to a bowl of warm water and soak strips of pretty material or ribbon in the water before hanging onto the branches of fruit trees, or near edible gardens and ornamental shrubs.
Is there a waiting period before harvesting?
You should not eat vegetables and fruits immediately after spraying them with essential oils. These oils are highly concentrated and consuming them without a waiting period or proper cleaning can cause digestive upset, inflammation, or irritation of the mouth and oesophagus.
Essential oils degrade in sunlight and waiting 24 hours should be sufficient. Ensure that you always wash your food well and all will be fine.
Storing Essential Oil Mixes
Try to mix up only sufficient spray to use in a day, or within 24 hours of mixing. Once exposed to water and oxygen, oil-based garden sprays begin to separate, degrade, and lose their effectiveness.
If you do have any left-over, store it in a glass bottle in a cool, dark place, not in your plastic spray bottle, as essential oils break down quicker in plastic. Agitate well before using again.
