Companion planting with anise attracts certain beneficial insects, and the pest-repellant properties may even protect veggies growing nearby. Read on to learn more about anise pest control and how you can easily grow this beautiful, useful plant.
Anise Insect Repellent
Anise is a stunning, low-maintenance, drought-tolerant plant with feathery upper leaves and umbrella-shaped clusters of dainty yellowish-white flowers. But, does anise repel bugs in the garden? Commercial pest control products are loaded with chemicals that are harmful to pets, human beings and the environment. Seasoned gardeners say anise pest control is an easy, nontoxic way to discourage aphids and other harmful pests. Aphids may be tiny, but the voracious little sapsuckers can decimate a healthy plant in nothing flat. It appears that the destructive little pests don’t appreciate the slightly minty, licorice-like aroma of anise, however. Slugs and snails can strip mature plants or destroy a bed of succulent seedlings in a matter of hours. Apparently, the slimy pests, like aphids, are repelled by the smell. Anise, along with cultural controls and hand-picking, can go a long way towards keeping your beds free of slugs and snails.
Growing Anise as a Pest Deterrent
Discouraging pests with anise is as easy as planting it in your garden. Plant anise in rich, well-drained soil. Dig in a generous amount of compost or manure to improve growing conditions. Anise is easy to grow by seed. Just sprinkle the seeds over the soil and cover them very thinly. When the seedlings are about six weeks old, thin them to a spacing of at least 12 inches (30 cm.). Water anise regularly throughout the growing season, especially just before the plants are ready to harvest. Anise requires no fertilizer. Keep weeds in check; otherwise, they’ll draw nutrients and moisture from the anise plants. You may need to stake tall anise plants to keep them upright in windy weather.
-
Grow a Bathroom Oasis: 8 Best Bathroom Plants With No Light or Low LightSome apartment dwellers grow the best bathroom plants with no light or low light. Read how one of our favorite plant lovers does it in the big city.
-
"My Worst Mistake" – Gardeners Share 10 Hard-Learned LessonsGardeners never stop learning, and sometimes our mistakes are the best teachers. But why not save time and heartache by learning from other gardeners' failures?
-
Harvesting Anise Seed – When And How To Pick Anise SeedsIf you’re someone who loves anise, there’s nothing easier or more rewarding than growing and saving your own anise seeds to use year round. Click this article to learn more about how to pick anise seeds and preserve them so you can use and enjoy the spice year after year.
-
Common Anise Diseases: How To Treat A Sick Anise PlantWhile it is fairly easy to grow, the anise plant is not without its problems, specifically diseases. It’s important to recognize the symptoms in order to learn how to treat a sick anise plant before a disease progresses to the point of no return. This article will help.
-
Container Grown Anise Seed: How To Care For Anise In A PotAnise, sometimes called aniseed, is a powerfully flavored and scented herb that is most popular for its culinary properties. Like all culinary herbs, anise is very useful to have on hand near the kitchen, especially in a container. But can you grow anise in a pot? Find out here.
-
Anise Vs. Star Anise – Are Star Anise And Anise Plants The SameLooking for a slightly licorice-like flavor? Star anise or anise seed provide a similar flavor in recipes but are actually two very different plants. A description of their differences will reveal unique origins and how to use these interesting spices. Click here for more info.
-
Aniseed As A Spice – Learn How To Use Anise PlantsAnise is a popular culinary herb easy to grow by seed, but the question is, what to do with aniseed once it’s harvested? How do you use aniseed as a spice, and how about cooking with anise? Click here to learn a few of the many ways of using anise plants.
-
Medicinal Anise Plants – How Is Anise Good For YouAnise is a pretty perennial herb, but it can do more for you than add visual interest to your garden. Growing medicinal anise plants and harvesting the seeds means you can add this natural, herbal remedy to both your kitchen and your medicine cabinet. Learn more in this article.
-
Fennel Vs Anise: What’s The Difference Between Anise And FennelIf you’re a cook who loves the flavor of black licorice, you no doubt commonly use fennel and/or anise seed in your culinary masterpieces. Many cooks use them interchangeably. But are anise and fennel the same? Find out more in this article.
-
Propagating Anise Herbs: How to Propagate Anise PlantsVariety is the spice of life, so it is said. Growing new anise plants will help spice up the ho-hum herb garden while giving dinner a surprising new zip. The question is, how is anise propagated? Click here for information on propagating anise herbs.
