BUG BEATERS So having expelled all those insects from your house, what do you do when you go out in the garden or take a walk in the countryside? Herbs make good outdoor insect repellents for skin and clothes and are easy to make, too. But you need to reapply them often as the volatile oils which make them effective dissipate quickly. A note of caution. Essential oils can exert a powerful effect on the body. Don’t use insect-repellents containing them every day. Also, do not use pennyroyal if you are pregnant as it can increase the risk of miscarriage.

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Insect Repellents for Outdoors Mosquitoes, midges & gnats Dilute a few drops of lavender or citronella essential oil in ½ cup of olive or almond oil and rub on the skin. Make a strong infusion of elderflowers (3-4 teaspoons of dried elderflowers to a cup of boiling water, steep for 10-15 minutes and strain) and use this as a wash on the skin. Insects - in general In an emergency, grab a handful of fresh lemon balm, pennyroyal or basil and rub them straight onto the skin Rub a peeled, halved onion over your skin. (Unfortunately this also repels the odd person too.) Insect repellent spray Mix ½ cup of isopropyl alcohol with ½ cup water. Add ½ teaspoon each of essential oils of pennyroyal, lavender and rose geranium oils. Put into a spray bottle, shake well and spray onto clothing. (Check that it doesn’t stain your clothes first.)

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Outdoor Entertainment Cooking and eating outdoors on a hot summer evening is enormously soothing – until insects gatecrash the party. Hang bunches of sage near where you are going to eat, particularly in trees you might like to sit beneath. Most insects don’t like sage. Herbs were traditionally tossed onto the open fire of the home to discourage insects. Doing this gives off wonderful aromas. Throw herbs into a barbecue or bonfire. Toss a handful of sage, rosemary, chamomile, rue, lavender or pennyroyal onto the burning embers while you eat and you can ‘fumigate’ the whole area.

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The classic definition of a herb is a non-woody plant which dies down to its roots each winter. This definition is far too limiting. It was probably made up by 19th Century European botanists who had never seen the rainforest in which, of course there is no winter to die back in. Neither had they ever heard of woody trees and shrubs such as hawthorn and ginko and elder which are some of the best selling herbs on the market these days. I define a herb as a medicinal plant. It can come from any climate and be a leaf, a bark, a flower or a root. It can be home-grown or wild, a weed, a spice, a plant which is used for its healing or culinary or beautifying properties. Once you discover the power of herbs it is easy to become so enthusiastic about them you go overboard trying to use them for everything. It is not wise to take lots of different plants all at the same time. Or you might start to think that since a small amount of something is good for you, taking twice or three times that amount will be even better. It isn’t. If you want safe and sane herbal help here are a few guidelines to follow: Herbs occasionally interact with conventional drugs. Be sure to tell your doctor that you intend to try a herbal remedy. If you want to use herbs to treat a serious medical condition, find yourself a good medical herbalist to work with. Don’t do it yourself. Take no more than recommended dosages of a herb or combination. If you notice any adverse reaction, stop right away. Use only the very best herbs whether they be fresh, dried, teas, tinctures, extracts, or capsules. Give plants enough time to work. Many herbs, such as St John’s Wort and Wild Yam, are slow to build beneficial effects on the body. Look to six weeks for results.   Herbs This Week Archives

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