I often get feedback from longtime GardenLine listeners whenever I do any marketing for cedar oil-based products, like these two from Nature’s Creation. It’s usually something like, “Randy … I thought you never recommended cedar-type products as a natural insecticide?”
Part of that is correct. Cedar oil-based products ARE NOT a natural insecticide. Insecticides KILL insects. Cedar products are REPELLENTS - deterrents. They keep insects from entering an area - they drive them away - but they never kill.
The labeling and marketing for both the liquid and granular products shown here are very forthright. Years ago, however, when products such as these first hit the market, they were improperly advertised. There was even a Houston gardening radio show (not GardenLine) that promoted the heck out of one product, calling it “a natural insecticide.” It wasn’t and never has been! It seemed that for nearly every insect question that came in to that show, the answer was always the cedar product. Consequently, it developed a bad reputation because it didn’t kill anything.
I’m always looking for ways to do things as organically as possible, but I know when synthetic insecticides are needed to kill off an insect, not just deter it.
I use cedar oil-based products as permitted sprays or, for a fence line application, the granular version. But I don’t put them out an over an entire yard to control things like chinch bugs - that can lead to a necrosis because the soil’s nitrogen will work to break down the wood chip granules. And you can’t use cedar oil on things like scale or mealy bugs, because it will essentially suffocate the leaves.
From the start, Nature’s Creation has always stated the facts about their CedarRepel products – that they are natural insect repellents that drive off the likes of mosquitoes, fleas, chiggers, roaches and ants. They can even drive away creepy things like scorpions, earwigs and silverfish. But at Nature’s Creation, they are also smart enough not to claim they are a panacea for fending off every insect out there.
Yes, the product line is 100% natural, and it smells great (well, if you like the smell of cedar). Plus, the liquid form is ready to spray with no mixing needed. The granular version is long-lasting and can easily be applied with a broadcast or hand-held spreader.
Many nurseries, garden centers and feed stores carry the Nature’s Creation line. Recently, I’ve seen their products at these places:
- Southwest Fertilizer
- Wabash Feed
- Houston Garden Centers (the red-and-yellow umbrella places)
- D&D Feed
- Plants for All Seasons on Highway 249
- RCW Nurseries
- Gulf Coast Equine
- Sweet Organic Solutions in Pearland
- Kingwood Garden Center
- Warren’s Southern Gardens
- Buchanan’s Native Plants
- Maas Nursery in Seabrook
I know there are more places to pick it up, but if your favorite doesn’t carry the Nature’s Creation line, ask the owners or managers to start. It comes from the local Adams Wholesale warehouse, and nearly everyone does business with Adams! Or call the radio show, and we’ll point you to a source near your house.
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