Watch Out For This Amazing Pest Deterrent Dropping Soon In Illinois

Have you heard of hedge apples, aka, Osage oranges before? Well, if you don't like bugs and mice in your home you should probably start looking for some in Illinois soon.

What Is a Hedge Apple?

Simply put, a hedge apple or Osage orange is an ugly-looking bumpy green apple that are too nasty tasting for humans to eat. This is what they look like...

Some people like using hedge apples in their fall décor, but I love them simply for their superhero insect repelling strength!

Are Hedge Apples a Good Natural Pest Deterrent?

My home is pretty attractive to wolf spiders and boxelder bugs, (which completely grosses me out), so a couple of years ago I bought a bag of hedge apples at local farmers market because I had heard they work wonders for deterring pests.

Apparently, pests like spiders, mice, crickets and more hate the smell of hedge apple oils, so I placed whole hedge apples around the outside of my home's foundation, specifically near doors and windows. Boy was I shocked to find out they actually made a big difference!

Now I buy hedge apples every time I see them somewhere, and I can automatically tell when they've all gone rotten thanks to the reappearance of spiders in my home. FYI, last year the hedge apples helped to keep boxelders out of my home, and many people say they repel mice too!

Where and When to Find Hedge Apples in Illinois

Osage orange trees can be found all over Illinois, but their fruits don't typically turn ripe and fall until mid to late September/early October. (I just saw a tree today that was filled with hedge apples almost ready for picking!)

Many fall farm markets throughout Illinois will have hedge apples for sale too, so grab a big bunch whenever you see them!

Are you ready to put the superhero insect repelling abilities of the hedge apple to the test? Here are apple orchards in the Rockford area that may have some for you to buy soon!