trouble with bugs, slugs and other aphids

• If you are having trouble with slugs eating your Hosta, marigolds, or other plants, try using broken eggshells. Grind up the eggshells and sprinkle them in a ring around the plant. Slugs, with their soft bellies, don't like crawling over this rough surface.
• Powdered ginger sprinkled around plants has been known to keep away slugs and snails. They don't like crossing over it. But remember to reapply after rain.
• Make a tantalizing trap for slugs and earwigs by mixing about 500 mg of brown sugar with a half package of dry yeast in a large plastic jug. Fill the jug with warm water and let it ferment uncovered for a day or two. Pour 2 or 3 cm of this concoction into a shallow dish (empty tuna-fish tins work well). In a shaded spot, place the dish in the soil so the rim is just a bit above ground level. Every few days, empty out the trap and refill. (Note: You can also use beer to fill the trap.) Use this method only when necessary as it can also drown beneficial creatures.
• For aphid infestations try using some homemade bug spray: finely chop 10 to 15 cloves of garlic and soak them in 500 mL of mineral oil for 24 hours. Strain the solution and spray as is, or dilute it with water before applying. Use this solution selectively as it also affects beneficial insects.
• Hose down plants and shrubs with water to rid them of aphids, being careful not to damage flowers or buds. (A mild sprinkler or even a watering can may do the trick for fragile flowering plants.)