If you’re having problems with mosquitoes, gnats, and other pesky flies while sitting in your garden or patio, you don’t need to cover yourself with a sticky spray or engage in chemical warfare. Instead, try strategically placing insect-repelling plants in your garden or on your patio. From the people over at TreeHugger, here’s a list of plants you can add to your garden to effectively fend off unwanted insects.
Herbs: While basil and other herbs are not only great for bringing more flavor to your dishes, they’re also effective for repelling house flies and mosquitos.
Lavender: Used for centuries to add a pleasantly sweet fragrance to homes and clothes, the smell of lavender is known to ward off mosquitos, flies, and other pesky insects.
Lemongrass: You know how citronella is used often to keep mosquitos away? Well, citronella is a natural oil found in lemongrass, an ornamental grass that can grow up to four feet tall and three feet wide in one season.
Lemon thyme: This plant itself won’t repel pesky mosquitos on its own. To do this, simply cut off a few stems and rub them between your hands.
Mint: Another mosquito repeller, mint is best grown in pots rather than the ground because it spreads aggressively.
Rosemary: Rosemary’s oils are as delicious to home cooks who use herbs as they are unpleasant to many insects. The plant itself and its cuttings are effective repellents. You can make a simple repellent spray by boiling one quart of dried rosemary in a quart of water for 20 to 30 minutes and then straining the liquid into a container at least a half-gallon in size that contains a quart of cool water. Put a cap on the combined liquid and store it in the refrigerator. Add the repellent to small squirt bottles as needed when going outdoors.
Sage: Similar to rosemary, this perennial plant can be grown to ward off bugs and can be used to make a bug repellant spray.
Catnip: A member of the mint family, it contains a chemical called nepetalactone, which attracts cats but repels insects such as mosquitoes, flies, deer ticks, and cockroaches.
Want a more extensive guide for how to grow and care for these insect-repelling plants, have a look right here.
