Insecticides or home-made repellents?

One of the worries any gardener faces is the potential bug infestation. In urban gardens, this is an especially real threat. My apartment is located near the ground level. As a result, there is constant combat with the crawlies. I also worry about whether having a plant in my living room is going to attract nasty aphids or mealy bugs in addition to the ants parading in my flat. It would be easy to turn to commercial insecticides for most gardeners and in fact, there are many such products readily available.

Insect spray available in supermarkets. 

The kind of selection found in nurseries.

Things get tricky when you are a budding gardener and also a pet owner. What previously feels like a wide selection of insecticides for your plants may suddenly narrow down to... nothing.

I also went through this debate and used to think that anything will do if my plants are hung high enough, or if I spray and make sure the pets don't go near the plants till it's dried. That is until I realised that I have a herbivorous cat. Her avid plant-chewing habits forced me to look for products that are pet-safe. I am thankful that the white oil serves just this very purpose. They are generally human and pet-friendly but effective in saving your plants from nasty bugs. Wiki lists it as a home-made insecticide and in my next entry, I shall be discussing the different types of insecticides you can try concocting at home.

A handy & pet-safe insecticide.

For now, if you are just a budding gardener and want to do no more than to see your plant sprout and your flowers bloom, go the easy and commercial way with insecticides. But do make sure to choose one that suits your household, be it one with herbivorous pets or inquisitive young children.