Many flower gardens are perennial gardens and come back year after year without having to be replanted. When we don't properly clean out our gardens each season, we can attract different common diseases. Flower gardens can be infested with all sorts of pests or have a fungal or bacteria problem. By using essential oils, you can combat some of these common diseases found in your flower garden.

I personally use and endorse Young Living Essential Oils, but most of these oils can be found online or in your favorite health foods store!

Unwanted Insects

First there is just one insect and then it seems they call in the recruits when they find your organic garden. If you have roses then you are well away of when the aphids arrive. Blast them off the stems and the underside of the leaves with the hose first. Then make an Essential Oil solution of 10 drops each of Lemon and Rosemary Oil with a teaspoon of blue dishwashing liquid. Spray the stems, leaves, and the ground surrounding your roses twice a week to get rid of aphids. This also works quite well on white flies.

For insects with exoskeletons like beetles, ants, fleas or flies make a solution with 10 drops of either Clove, Peppermint, or Rosemary oil. Spray this on the bugs and in areas that you don't want them. Spread Diatomaceous Earth around windowsills and doorways to keep these insects from crawling into the house and multiplying. If you find ants inside your arm, grab your Cinnamon oil and add 10 drops to a spray bottle and go to town on the little suckers.

Powdery Mildew

Mildews are the easiest to recognize and most widely spread fungal disease. It is common on lilac bushes, phlox, roses, and a dozen other plants. On the top of the leaves if you see a white or grayish powder looking growth, you have powdery mildew. The wind is what brings this to your garden. Small black dots appear after the mildew on the leaves which produce the spores and are carried to new plants to infect them. Cut the leaves off before these dots appear and burn, preferably.

Solution: Make a baking soda spray with 10 drops of Tea Tree Oil and apply twice a week. 

Leaf Curl

Leaf curl is a fungal disease and affects many different perennial plants, plus fruit and nut trees. When the leaves bud out, instead of being open and flat they are curled up and stunted. This will affect the flowers plus the fruit growth.

Solution: Proper watering, well-drained soil, increased plant circulation, and applying a compost tea that has 10 drops of Oregano Oil added to it may help.

Blights

Blights affect all types of plants including perennials, annuals, and vegetable plants. Many blights come on quickly and need to be fixed just as quickly. Remember to burn or discard any affected plant so they don't infect your entire garden. You can identify blight by the the small circles or rings that form on the top of the leaf.

Solution: For most types of blight you can make a compost tea and add in either 10 drops of Tea Tree, Oregano, or Thyme oil. 

What are some of the ways that you protect your flower garden from pests and disease?

Not using oils yet? Find out more about Essential Oils on my Getting Started With Essential Oils post and be sure to check back as I share more awesome uses for the Essential Oils that are included in the Young Living Premium Starter Kit! Don't forget that you can get a free Essential Oils Reference Book when you purchase a Premium Starter Kit!

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