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Don't Be Bugged by Cottage-Country Pests

THERE is nothing quite like cottage living. Here are some tips to make your time in the country as charming as the country. 

1. Discourage raccoons from invading your trash by placing a waterproof radio near trash cans. Set the station to a "talk" station, the voices will discourage raccoons from the area. 

2. When it comes to bears, the only thing that truly protects people is proper knowledge and behavior when facing a bear encounter. Too often, pepper spray instills a false sense of security and people don't follow the proper steps necessary to prevent an incident. Tests have shown that a direct spray of capsicum into a bear's face may cause discomfort and deter the bear briefly. It should be used as a last resort if all of the proper behavioral responses to a bear's behavior do not work (i.e., shouting, waving arms, backing away slowly, etc.). Tip: Always wear a bear bell when biking or walking in bear country. 

3. Rabbits are adorable but love to eat vegetables. Visit your local hair salon and collect a bag full of human hair. Sprinkle it around garden plants to keep rabbits away. Note: blood meal and marigolds have also proven to be effective. 

4. Build your own bat house. Despite their creepy reputation, bats make excellent neighbors. They are quiet and polite, and they can help eliminate all kinds of pesky insects. One little brown bat can gobble as many as 500 mosquitoes in just one hour! 

5. Adult dragonflies eat many of the most annoying garden pests, and as such, are a very welcome addition to the garden. Even if you don't have a garden pond, a shallow pan of water or a bird bath should be enough to attract dragonflies to your yard, and no garden big or small should be without them! 

6. To keep slugs from invading your yard, scoop the inside of a melon out (half) and leave it face down near the problem area -- in the morning it should be full of slugs; empty them in a garbage bag. Another option is to sprinkle corn meal in the garden. 

7. To bring in the blooms and make them last, the Brooklyn Botanical Garden recommends a homemade mixture that they say works as well as the commercial variety of flower preservative. Mix 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon bleach, and 2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice in a quart of warm water. Warm water is important because it's more easily absorbed. However, cold-weather blooms, such as tulips, thrive in cold vase water. 

8. To keep termites from eating your wooden fence posts, pour a little used motor oil at the base of them from time to time. 

9. Kill poison ivy by mixing one gallon cider vinegar, 26 ounces of table salt and four or five drops dish soap. Shake until salt is dissolved (so that the salt does not plug the nozzle) and put in a sprayer. Spray poison ivy two or three times: Beware, this recipe will kill all greens. 

10. Moths are repelled by strong-smelling herbs. Lavender, wormwood, cedar or patchouli along with a small amount of rosemary, cinnamon, cloves or tansy work well. Mix any combination and place in the toe of a used stocking. Tie open end and hang in closet or place in a drawer. 

11. Septic systems are designed for disposal of toilet wastes, tissue, soaps and water used from bathing, laundry and dishwashing. Disposing of improper solids in your septic system can cause clogging and failure since the system can't break down the material. Dispose of solids such as cigarette butts, diapers, coffee grounds and grease in your household trash. Tip: use one-ply toilet paper in your septic tank. Tip: Do not pour any harmful chemicals, toxic substances, anti-bacterial soap, solvents, etc. into your septic system, purchase "green" products only. 

12. Instead of wooden spindles, enclose your deck with galvanized wire (2 x 2 squares). Spray-paint the wire with rust-proof paint and staple it along the railing. Unique and nice to look at! 

13. Yummy recipe for bacon and eggs in a bag: You will need 2 thick pieces of bacon, 1 egg, paper bag, 1 stick. Cut both the bacon pieces in two. Lay the slices at the bottom of the bag so that all of it is covered. Crack the egg onto the bacon pieces. Roll the bag down three times. Push the stick through the bag so that the bag is hanging from the stick. Hold the stick over the fire for about 10-15 minutes. The bacon inside will protect the bag and help cook your meal. Tip 1: Bacon that has been fried and drained can be frozen in foil; reheat in toaster oven to crisp. Tip 2: When frying bacon on the stove, add some celery leaves to the bacon. No more spatters! 

14. Bonfires should be at least 18 meters away from houses, trees, hedges, fences, sheds and motor vehicles. Avoid overhead power lines, and make sure the bonfire is downwind of your spectator area. 

15. Smore pancakes are easy to make. Take one pancake and put it on a plate. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and marshmallows and lay another pancake on top. Heat up over the bonfire, in the oven or microwave. Enjoy! 
NOTE: The comments contained on this web site are for information purposes only and do not constitute legal advice.