Are you sure they are roaches? I've never heard of roaches bothering plants. There are some bugs that look like roaches. Try to identify positively before you put down poison.

Francesco

I live pretty deep in the woods and we have wood roaches and they love the soil and can be a booger to get rid of. They are black in color. A few years ago we logged some trees out and we had them like crazy for while. They did not harm any plants or anything, just drove me crazy. I just went to Wallyworld and got a spray and sprayed all around the house right next to the foundation, spray it pretty heavy or go twice. That took care of them from coming in. I can't remember the name of the spray but I didn't get the cheapest, I wanted something I know for sure would work. I didn't spay in on the plants. I also heard of sprinkling ground cinnamon around on the ground will keep roaches and ants away, never had tried it though. I do know Penny Royal is good for repelling fleas and other small insects, you could check into seeing if it's good for repelling roaches. Call the local garden center they can give sugjestions or even some home rememdy advice or your local extension office! Good luck!

I hope you don't have pets that can be poisoned with roach killer... pesticides are awful... please don't use them.
I found roach hotels to be really effective... I lived in a "Roach Hotel" in San Francisco... they climbed our bed... roach hotels are just great.
Another thing... ancient cajun saying....
"Chickens in de yahd, mean no roaches in de house" :o)

What I got was safe for pets and children and safe to use in kitchens, it was made with pure orange peel extract, but I sure can't remember the name. Had a red and green label, I will look when I go to Walmart this week-end and see if they still have it and post it then. It worked really well, after a good soaking of it and I din't have to spray again.

Baking soda and sugar, that's pretty cool! That's stuff you have around the house! Do you sprinkle it dry or mix it with water and spray it?
That stuff I was talking about with orange extract...... hubby said we didn't get it at Walmart but Lowe's- it's called Bugs'R'Gone and 100% organic.

My mother had a large, favorite African Violet in a large pot that began to decline after a few years, but she couldn't figure out why. She decided to repot it and found a small colony of large black roaches living in the bottom of the pot and eating the roots. She made short work of the roach family, repoted the AV and all lived happily for many more years.

I got something called OrangeGuard that is supposed to be safe around food, humans and pets (but not aquatic animals). Supposed to repel roaches, fleas, ants, silverfish. Got it at either Home Depot or Lowes (cant remember). I also use something called RoachPruf. It is basically boric acid and you puff it into cracks and crevices. It it supposed to stick to the roaches and they carry it to the nest. Havent had a roach problem since I started using it (and I am a lousy housekeeper LOL!)

Lydia

Pet chickens or pheasants WOULD be the most effective form of outdoor roach control.

Supposedly, if you can do this, I tried once, long time ago, don't remember if it worked... if you peel cucumbers, just the green part, no white on it, it's toxic to roaches... supposedly....

We do have chickens outside. I don't know how many for sure, but I"m guessing 3 roosters and about 20 hens.
The problem may or may not be gone. I haven't seen any roaches..but they could just be on the bottom of the tub.
The stie I found didn't specify, but I'm guessing they meant dry.
This is the site:
http://www.ghorganics.com/Cockroaches.html

They didn't mention these big black roaches... my mother lived in a house, planted squarely on top of a nest... they mostly like it outdoors till you put a house on their nest... you couldn't leave your shoes on the floor... and if you went the bathroom at night...crunch crunch crunch... the stuff of nightmares!:)
I am not sure pesticides work anyway... once, later in my life, I'd have roach stomping parties in the driveway, after the house next door got covered in one of those huge covers and fumigated... the roaches just up and left....