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| Osage orange, aka, hedge apple. |
Hoosier Outsider recently posted an item on Facebook that, because I have more than a slight fear of spiders, immediately caught my attention.
He says the Osage orange, aka hedge apple is a spider repellent. Even if there is a slight hint of truth to this old farmer’s tale, I’m willing to give it a try.
The process is that you place Osage oranges — which are also squirrel magnets — in each room that you want to be spider free.
I’m thinking anywhere my head rests, or in the dark recesses of my closet where I only reach after making a lot of commotion.
For the skeptics, I’ve already found my favorite quote. It comes from the Great Plains Nature Center, which has a nice description of Osage orange, including its history as a natural fence row.
GPNC hasn’t found any evidence that osage orange actually repels insects or arachnids. But, the center notes, “One method that definitely works is to pick up the hedge apple and smash the offending bug with it.”
That would do the trick.
Virtual Farmgirl 