Well, it’s Sunday again, and chances are you have a bit of free time on your hands. Why not learn about food-grade diatomaceous earth and head over to the local garden center or shop online at Earth Easy to pick up a bag?

Why diatomaceous earth? (DE)

A multitude of Americans is becoming more and more aware of the chemicals and other potentially dangerous ingredients in the food we eat, household cleaners and products we use to maintain our gardens and control pests. We’re trying to eliminate these products from our lives with more natural, less toxic products.

[amazon asin=B00025H2PY&template=*lrc ad (left)]That’s where DE comes in. It’s non-toxic and all-natural, made from the fossilized remains of diatoms, an ancient algae.

For insect control, when bugs of all types wander through DE, it clings to their bodies and acts like a sort of dehydrator, drying up the insect’s body until it falls over dead. This usually takes around 48 hours.

DE can be used both indoors and outdoors. Does your dog have fleas? Then rub a bit of diatomaceous earth into her fur. If she has a case of parasites, mix a small amount of DE into her food for 3 or 4 days until the worms are eliminated.[amazon asin=B002SW52CE&template=*lrc ad (right)]

For use inside your home, place shallow containers of DE in crawl spaces, in the attic, on windowsills, behind the refrigerator, or anywhere else you find insects. In just a matter of days, those insects will disappear.

Sprinkle DE around the outside of your home, especially where plants grow close to your foundation. If ants are a problem, and this includes the infamous fire ant, sprinkle DE directly on the ant hills where it will be tracked into the colony. Suddenly, ants will no longer be an issue without the use of toxic insecticides.

Keep in mind that DE will kill beneficial insects as well as the ones you want to be rid of. That would include friendly ladybugs and earthworms that you want in your garden.

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