Add This Plant To Your Garden To Create An Unwelcoming Environment For Spiders

Unless you want your garden to have a spooky vibe, you may want to evict its resident arachnids. Avoiding their bites is smart, even though very few spiders are a danger to humans. Growing plants that repel pests from your garden is an eco-friendly way to give spiders the heave-ho. A clove tree (Syzygium aromaticum) is among the best plants for the job. In a study published in the Journal of Economic Entomology, researchers compared the spider-repelling properties of 15 different essential oils and found clove oil to be one of the most effective. Specifically, northern yellow sac spiders (Cheiracanthium mildei) avoided building webs where the pungent oil had been applied.

Clove oil has a strong scent thanks to a high concentration of eugenol, a compound that's believed to bother a variety of garden pests. It's a good idea to pack the oil on your next camping trip, too, as it functions as a natural snake repellent.The flower buds of clove trees house the same kind of oil the researchers used, and the leaves and bark are fragrant as well. In other words, many parts of this pungent plant probably help repel garden spiders.

Since clove trees are tropical plants, they won't grow just anywhere. Above all, they demand warmth and humidity. In the United States, they thrive in USDA hardiness zones 11 to 12. Under optimal conditions, a clove tree will grow to a height of 30 feet. One of those conditions is well-draining soil that always stays moist. A clove tree also needs regular pruning and lots of indirect sunlight . If you're the patient type, you can grow this tree from a seed or a cutting.

A clove tree starts producing buds three to five years after you plant it. When the buds turn into flowers, the tree's aroma intensifies. Want to keep spiders in check before your clove tree is fully fragrant? Get rid of the materials they like to use for hiding places. This includes leaf piles and stacks of firewood. Switching off lights near your garden can also help because spider prey — flies and gnats, for instance — head toward the brightness. If less food is available, the spiders are likely to set up camp someplace else.

Until your clove tree is producing enough scent to frighten away spiders, you can purchase clove essential oil to use in your garden. Handcraft Blends clove essential oil comes with a dropper for easy application. Add several drops of clove oil to a bottle of water and spray it in areas that spiders like to gather. If clove oil is unavailable, try using whole cloves from the baking aisle of your local grocery store. The Spicy World 14 oz. bag of whole cloves is ideal if you want to have lots on hand. Whole cloves can be sprinkled near your plants or loaded into sachets and placed in strategic locations. As an added bonus, you're likely to repel other pests in the process. For example, cloves can help banish mosquitoes and beetles.