Your Cat's Favorite Herb Is The Secret To Banishing Flea Beetles From Your Garden

It goes without saying that there are insects that are beneficial to your garden. However, there are also insects that you never want to see in your yard or garden, as they can severely damage or even kill your plants. Among those are flea beetles, a group of diminutive bugs that are a subfamily of leaf beetles. Despite their tiny size, flea beetles can cause every bit as much damage as they munch away as their larger cousins, such as the destructive Japanese beetle. Surprisingly, catnip, the herb that gives cats euphoric bliss, is the secret to getting rid of flea beetles from your garden.

Catnip has long been linked to felines. This is not just because the word cat is in the name, but because cats actually love the herb and it has been shown to have medicinal uses for felines, particularly for digestive issues. However, it is also known to be a plant that repels pests naturally. So, any gardener, whether a cat owner or not, can utilize this potent herb to keep their garden free of flea beetles.

While cats can't seem to resist catnip, flea beetles, on the other hand, are repulsed by the herb for a couple of reasons. For one, the strong scent of catnip alone is enough to deter a variety of insects, including flea beetles. Secondly, catnip creates chemicals known as iridoids, which repel a number of insects, including mosquitoes and flea beetles.

The most effective way to employ catnip as a deterrent to flea beetles is a process known as companion planting. Essentially, this means to plant catnip alongside other plants that may be targeted by flea beetles. While the scent and iridoids emitted from catnip alone will help repel flea beetles, the flowers of the catnip plant will also attract other insects that prey on these destructive bugs. If you don't feel like growing your own, dried catnip, such as SmartyKat Catnip, can be sprinkled around the base of plants, too. Although it doesn't have the same effective dynamics as live catnip, it does give off a scent that repels flea beetles.