Plants to Use in Your Garden to Repel Mosquitoes Naturally
Mosquitoes are a real pain, especially when you have guests in your backyard for a gathering. It’s tempting to use anything and everything just to get rid of them, from store-bought bug sprays to having your lawn treated. But what about the actual plants in your yard?
Plants Can Either Repel or Attract Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes, like many creatures, are attracted to environments that contain the things they need to live such as certain plants. As adults, mosquitoes eat the nectar of certain plants, such as taro, papyrus, water lilies, and water hyacinths. Therefore, removing these plants from your yard will certainly help.
However, there are other parts of an environment, such as polls of standing water, that will contribute to a mosquito problem.
Here is a list of plants that you can grow in your garden to help repel mosquitoes.
Citronella Geranium
Not all geraniums will repel mosquitoes, but this particular kind (formally known as Pelargonium citrosum), which produces and smells like citronella oil, can ward off bugs.
Floss Flower
While they’re not the most powerful repellent, these purple beauties (Ageratum houstounianum) produce an aroma mosquitoes aren’t fond of, Butterflies and hummingbirds, however, love their fragrant blooms.
Citronella
Originally used as a perfume, essential oils and extracts from Citronella plants are so effective at keeping mosquitoes away that they’re now a go-to ingredient for many commercial repellents.
Peppermint
This member of the mint family boasts health benefits, a lovely smell, and its oils can eliminate any pests lurking around.
Lemon Balm
The strong lemon scent of this plant contains high levels of the bug-repelling compound. This is perfect for keeping mosquitoes at bay!
Lavender
It may sound hard to believe since the scent is so heavenly to us humans, but mosquitoes can’t stand the smell of this herb. Bonus: Beautiful to look at and also keeps moths and flies away!
Basil
Great for cooking, and for keeping mosquitoes away! Thank us later!
Mint
Mint leaves can aid in keeping mosquitoes away. Bonus: Mint essential oils can also help soothe bug bites.
Sage
Gathering around the bonfire to roast some s’mores? You might want to toss a little sage into the fire—the scented smoke will keep those pesky critters away. (Rosemary works, too.)
Marigolds
Not only do they look pretty, these colorful and heady flowers will repel mosquitoes. They also repel other insects, since they contain pyrethrum, an ingredient found in many insect repellents.
In addition to growing the plants listed above, you should also practice good mosquito control in your garden so that the pests don’t get out of hand. The best thing you can do is prevent water from collecting and becoming stagnant; mosquitoes can lay hundreds of eggs even in a tiny spoonful of standing water. Mosquito rings can be used virtually anywhere you have standing water: rain barrels, birdbaths, water gardens, ponds and even even animal watering troughs. They contain a naturally occurring bacterium (Bt israelensis) that kills mosquito larvae.
There are also other natural products available that can help ward off mosquitoes in your garden. These include citronella torches and candles, as well as essential oils derived from the plants listed above!