Crushed red pepper flakes can do more than add kick to your pizza or pasta. Here are a couple of ways you can use red pepper flakes outside of the kitchen.

Bye-bye Bugs Bunny

Chili oil is a great way to keep rabbits and other small animals from turning your vegetable garden into their dinner. In a small pan over moderate heat, warm a cup of oil (like canola) along with 1/3 to ½ cup red chili flakes. Heat mixture to about 300 º Fahrenheit, remove from heat and let the mixture set at room temperature overnight. Strain oil into a spray bottle and add enough warm water to fill. Shake well and spray liberally onto your garden plants. Rabbits, deer, squirrels and other pests might take a bite but will feel the heat and quickly learn to avoid making a buffet of your vegetables. A few bits of additional information:

• You will need to occasionally reapply this mixture as it will wear off over time, in the rain or if you water with a sprinkler or sprayer.
• You can reuse the strained chili flakes to make a second batch, though it may not be quite as strong.  A better plan would be to spread the used flakes around your plants.
• If you want to increase the deterrent factor and odor is not a problem, you can add garlic powder or crushed cloves of garlic to the oil and chili flakes during the cooking phase, or add vinegar to the chili oil when transferring to spray bottle.

Ants Be Gone

Each spring, and sometimes during mid-summer if the weather is really hot and dry, we are invaded by ants. I don’t mind if the ants keep to their territory outside and leave my home alone, but unfortunately, they find ways to barge in and turn my world into a living nightmare. Now, normally one would reach for the pesticides; any number of ant sprays should work and I have used some in the past. Unfortunately, I am very chemically sensitive and have made myself rather ill when applying multiple layers of bug killer. I also don’t like using bait traps either, mainly because I am afraid that one of our dogs might find one and try to eat it. That is where chili flakes enter the picture.  Ants do not seem to want to cross a line of chili flakes. Much like the response of the rabbits or deer, ants will try to avoid walking across a line of those hot little bits and pieces. And if you mix the peppers with cinnamon, the effect is increased. A caveat to this technique is that it does not kill the ants; without whole house protection, they will find another way in. While it can be effective, small scale use is far more reasonable.  However, if you are like me and don’t like using spray killers or bait traps, this may be a reasonable alternative.