What Can You Do With D.E.?

There are several great uses for Diatomaceous Earth but many folks don't really know the "how" part.

One thing you can do is mix 1/4 cup od DE in a gallon of vinegar and pour it on insects and pests, or you can use it as a drench and pour it right down the hole of an ant colony. A great pest barrier is to put petroleum jelly around the trunks of trees and then lightly dust the jelly with DE.  Some use DE to control bed bugs and is safe and effective.

A good tip is that less is more with DE, most times all you need is a bit in the palm of your hand and blowing it onto whatever.  Use DE on your wood pile, under rocks and any other hiding place you can think of.  For a barrier around the house, mix DE with water and spray it around the foundation.  When the water evaporates the remaining DE will be effective for a very long time.

In the garden, dust your plants with it, but make sure to mist the plants with water first so the DE will stick and not blow away or get washed off in the first rain.  Keep in mind that DE will also kill beneficial insects.

You can find DE in health food stores or at farm feed stores.  This has become a must have on our homestead.