Question
you said something about rosemary sprigs in the house to prevent insects?  could you tell me more?  thanks!

Answer
Hi Tiffany;
Rosemary repels cockroaches and some other insects.
Lavender repels house flies.
Sweet basil is also supposed to repel fleas and some others.
I use a lot of basil in cooking, and I grow basil, so that may be working, but really the only ones I purposefully use are rosemary, lavender and cedar oil and pennyroyal oil.
Pennyroyal smothers fleas and ticks, their larve etc.
When they eggs hatch, they are smothered right away.
It is like putting a plastic bag over your head.
I put Epsom Salts in my blender and whirr it till it is very fine, then I add some pennyroyal oil drops to it to make carpet dust and dust all over the house. I have 4 dogs. 2 of them are extremely allergis to flea bites and it only takes one bite to set off an attack, so I want NO fleas near thm.
DO NOT use pennyroyal in the house with cats. It is extremely toxic to them.
About every month or two I put a fresh sprig of rosemary about an inch long, on each pantry and cabinet shelf, and a longer piece under each appliance.
I toss a little in th corners of clostet, and don't forget the bathroom.
Anywhere roaches can come in or hide.
I but cedar oil at the health stor and paint a little trail of it along the clothes poles in the closets, up the door sides, and around the base boards.
Cedar repels a whole ton of insects.
I have a large container of lavender at each entrance. It makes a lovely entrance plant and it helps keep flies from coming in when they doors are opened.
Lavender scent is also very rlaxing.
Wizard makes a lavender scnted room spray now.
I like just the lavender, niot the lavender and something else others make.
Spray a little of that in your room at bedtime and it will help you relax and go to slep better and get mre rest.
A drop of lavender oil on your hands, rubbed together, and rubbed on a stuffed toy, will help calm a too tired, fussy baby and help them get to sleep.
I am an old aldy, and can't handle the running back a dozen tomes to get kids to go to sleep.so when a bunch of the grand and great grandkids spent the weekend, when they are getting their baths, I spray their bedrooms with lavender. or put some on my hand and rub their pillow cases.
It just takes a few minutes of telling a story in a soft voice to put all the lil darlins sound asleep.LOL
I love  soaky bth woth lavendr, so I put some lavender oil in Epsom Salts, shake it up till it is stirred well, tint it with a few drops of food coloring, and put it in a decanter.
Makes great and inexpensive bath salts.
I also make bath salts like this with my favorite cologne.
It is a lot cheaper than buying bath salts in that scent ( if you can find it).
It costs me about 4 or 5 dollars to make half a gallon of bath salts with my cologne. If I buy it, for about a pint, it costs from &35.00 up.
I shop garage sales and thrift stores for crystal ( or glass) dcanters to put my bath salts in.
I tint each to match the color of the packaging, and line thm up on my vanity.
Looks real pretty, and I can smell like a flower all the tiome.LOL
I sprinkle cedar bark mulch all over the yard to repel fleas and ticks, and put a trail of it about 3 or 4 inches wide and an inch or two dep all around the foundation of the house and outbuildings, when it is time for termites to swarm. Termites will not come where cedar is.
I have been doing that for the whole 42 years w have lived in this house, and have never had termite damage, or had to have an exterminator out. My neighbors do.
North Texas is a good climate for termites.
I dry flowers and make my own potpourii, and make my own carpet dusts.
If you can think of another question or I can help in any way, just write me.
Charlotte