Hey there, Do you love gardening? Even if you don’t, you might still want to learn to keep the bugs away from your plants.
Sure there are chemicals you can use, but what if I told you there are actually plants that can do the job for you? You don’t need to invest in pesticides or bug sprays to control mosquitoes. Just have a gang of these plants in and around your house, and you’re good to go!
Today we’re going to learn more about these mosquito-repelling plants. Why is basil our top choice? What about Pennyroyal and lavender? We’ll be talking about all of these AND more…
First On Our List Of Mosquito-repelling Plants Is Basil.
admin | Want to keep mosquitoes away without using those nasty sprays? Well, the next time your garden is overwhelmed, consider a mosquito-repellent plant like basil. The good news is plants that smell terrible to mosquitoes and drive them away ARE a delight to the human nose.
Basil is a good topping on foods like pizza and pasta. But, instead of getting it from the grocery store, you would be best served by growing it in your back garden. Not only will it give your food that extra kick, it also keeps mosquitoes away from your house.
Experienced gardeners recommend having basil plants in your garden. The strong scent given out by this herb drives away bugs.
But, there are other benefits of having basil in your garden. It also helps attract bees, which improve the flavors of the other plants in your garden.
You can also make your own natural mosquito repellent at home. All you need to do is take around four ounces of basil leaves and mix them in half a cup of boiling water. Add another half cup of vodka. Stir the mixture up and put it in a spray bottle. Then, go outside and spray it around your garden.
Drive Mosquitoes Away By Planting Pennyroyal.
admin | How about a backyard that smells minty fresh? With pennyroyal, not only will you do that, you’ll also keep the mosquitoes at bay.
Pennyroyal is a very powerful type of mint. If your skin absorbs too much pennyroyal oil, or if you eat too much of it, it can be toxic for you. But, if you’re dedicated to growing and using it carefully, it’s a great backyard plant.
In fact, it’s a great plant to have in your garden if you’re looking to repel mosquitoes. A few of these plants strategically placed along your outdoor area where you gather with people will help keep the mosquitoes away.
Some people even crush the pennyroyal leaves and put them in their pockets. This gives them extra personal protection from the mosquitoes. The strong odor that comes from the crushed leaves will scare these pests away
If you don’t get pennyroyal leaves specifically, regular mint leaves will do. For instance, peppermint leaves will do just as good a job as pennyroyal. As a bonus, you’ll be smelling great too!
Enjoy The Sweet Smell Of Lavender As It Drives Away Mosquitoes.
admin | I don’t know about you, but lavender is one of my favorite fragrances. There’s something so calming about it. There’s even been research about this, which has revealed lavender can relieve anxiety.
This sweet-smelling flower offers amazing health benefits. What you probably don’t know is lavender is also effective in keeping mosquitoes away. The scent you find so pleasing will irritate the mosquito, so much so that they keep away from the area.
One of the reasons mosquitoes are attracted to human beings is because of the scent of carbon dioxide. Since we exhale a lot of carbon, we emit the scent every time we breathe out. Mosquitoes use this scent to move in toward your position, as human beings are the biggest sources of blood.
Another way to use lavender as a repellent is by putting some drops of the flower on your wrists. You can even put some of the drops on your ankles. As if mosquitos weren’t enough, lavender can also repel moths and flies.
Another Great Option To Drive Mosquitoes Away Is Rosemary.
admin | This plant would be best placed in a garden, or even a windowsill that gets plenty of sunlight. After you finish watering the plant, give it a bit of time to dry out. It provides a distinctive scent which will drive the bugs away. Rosemary can also double as an edible herb.
Another way to use rosemary on mosquitoes is by rubbing some of it on your arms and legs. This is of course when you’re wearing shorts and a t-shirt. You can also use rosemary in a grill or a fire pit. The smoke will kill the mosquitoes.
If you’re having trouble with stray cats in your yard, rosemary offers extra protection. Cats don’t like rosemary, and will keep away from your plants as a result.
Speaking Of, Let’s Talk About Catnip.
admin | You give your cat some catnip and they’ll go crazy. On the other hand, it benefits you by keeping mosquitoes away. They absolutely hate catnip.
Now before we go any further, I’m not talking about actual catnip. I mean, how would that work? I’m talking about the essential oil that comes from catnip. This is a lot more effective at keeping mosquitoes away compared to other store-bought bug sprays. The oil is so strong, you only need one-tenth of it in comparison to the amount you need from store-bought insect repellent.
Just keep in mind that catnip plants grow really tall. So, if you’re keeping a catnip plant in your garden, you should do it in a place that won’t block the view.
If you do plant catnip in your backyard, you should also be prepared for several stray cats to start hanging out in the area. This means dog owners should look for other options to have in their garden to repel mosquitoes.
One Of These Options Can Be American Beautyberry.
admin | The American beautyberry is a native plant of the southern United States. It’s a very beautiful shrub that produces white flowers. The plant also produces a cluster of berries during the Fall season.
You can use these berries for a number of reasons. They can be used to prepare wine or even some jellies. Birds enjoy eating berries, so if you want, you can feed them with the harvest from your garden.
Mosquitoes, however, hate the leaves of this plant. There is a particular compound called callicarpenal (kal-uh-karp-uh-null) in the leaves, which mosquitoes find particularly irritating. They stay away from this shrub at all costs.
Another advantage of the American beautyberry is that it’s also effective at repelling ticks. You can crush the leaves of the plant and rub them on your exposed skin. If your dog is having tick problems, you can put some on its fur.
Another Great Option To Repel Mosquitoes Is Garlic.
admin | You’ve probably used garlic once or twice for cooking. Plenty of delicious outdoor meals come with garlic in some form. But garlic isn’t just a fun ingredient you can add to your recipes. It has several health benefits as well. You’ll be surprised to know how great this strong-smelling spice is for driving mosquitoes away.
In fact, garlic is one of the oldest methods used for repelling bugs. There are many folk tales of how garlic can even scare away vampires. While we can’t quite confirm vampires, garlic is definitely good at keeping another blood-sucking pest away, mosquitoes!
To use garlic, you just need to eat a couple of cloves every day. But that may not be something people want to do. After all, garlic burps are nasty! Instead, you can put garlic plants in your garden.
These plants give off a really strong scent. Mosquitoes will stay away from the fragrance, making it a mosquito-free area.
Say Goodbye To Mosquitoes By Planting Lemon Balm.
admin | Lemon balm is another great anti-bug plant. The leaves have a special compound called citronellal (sit-tro-nell-al). This compound is the key to keeping mosquitoes away from your area. It’s also present in a few mosquito repellents you find on the market. On top of that, lemon balm also gives off a lemony scent that mosquitoes hate.
There are a few things you have to keep in mind while planting lemon balm in your garden. It spreads very quickly, so it could take up a lot of space. It would be better to have them in pots and to keep them in an area where mosquitoes are becoming a problem.
Citronella Is Also Very Effective As A Mosquito Repellant.
admin | It has been used in anti-mosquito products for a long time. If you purchase a bug spray, it’s most likely going to have citronella oil in it. This oil is also used in outdoor candles.
To make the most of citronella, you should plant them along with other mosquito-repellent shrubs such as lavender. You won’t have to worry about the conditions for growing citronella. They thrive in a number of different soils.
Citronella can often be confused with lemongrass, as they both look physically similar. But you can differentiate them by the stems. Citronella is usually magenta or red, while lemongrass is green. You can plant either one of them in your garden to get rid of the mosquitoes.
There’s another citronella plant you should know about. This would be the citronella geranium (jer-ay-nee-um), which produces an oil that is quite similar to the original plant. This geranium also has similar properties when it comes to repelling mosquitoes.
Mosquito-repelling plants are a great way to get started on your gardening journey.
