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Who knew!
Cayenne pepper may be a staple in your kitchen pantry and great to use in a variety of different recipes such as hot sauces and more, but did you know it can actually be super useful sprinkled around your garden and yard, too? Well, if you didn’t, you do now!
Gardeners have long used cayenne pepper as a pest deterrent. But how exactly does this work? And what types of pests does it deter? To find out more, Southern Living spoke with Brandon Runyon, a board-certified entomologist with 20 years of pest control experience at Swat Pest Management in Evansville, Indiana, and Owensboro, Kentucky.
Why Gardeners Use Cayenne Pepper In Their Yards
The reason gardeners sprinkle cayenne pepper in their yards is for pest control. As it turns out, it can actually be quite effective in pest management, particularly when it comes to mammals. That said, it can help deter some insects as well.
The compound found in cayenne pepper—capsaicin—is the reason why. Capsaicin is what gives cayenne pepper that special kick that it’s known and loved for. However, for certain animals and insects, it’s not so appreciated. “The capsaicin found in cayenne pepper is the agent that is causing the irritation,” explains Runyon. “This can work on mice, squirrels, aphids, ants, and other pests. With ants, it masks their scent trails, and with aphids and other insects who have piercing mouths, it is very irritating. In some cases, it can even damage the cellular membranes of the insects.”
While cayenne pepper can definitely be a helpful pest deterrent method, there are some drawbacks to using it. “The issue here is it does not last long and requires reapplication,” explains Runyon. For example, if a big storm rolls through or a full day of rain, all of your hard work will be washed away, and you’ll need to go back and add more. For this reason, you may want to try other strategies if you don’t have the time to constantly reapply the cayenne pepper.
“Other plants can be used as repellents such as lemongrass, mint, rosemary, and lavender. Anything with a strong scent is going to dampen the sensory abilities of insects,” recommends Runyon. “Combining these plants in your garden will go a long way in deterring some pests.”
If you’re interested in trying out cayenne pepper in your garden or yard, sprinkle it in the dry areas around the plants that seem to tempt your local critters the most. Pay extra attention to the base of your plants as well as garden borders. You can also opt to make a diluted spray using one to two tablespoons of cayenne pepper per gallon of water and spray this on your plants to prevent curious mouths from crunching on your favorite flowers, bushes, and more.
Read the original article on Southern Living
