Mosquito Control

Types of natural mosquito repelling plant:

Basil – basil is not just good in your pasta dish… it is good to keep those pests at bay come summertime.  Plant them in small table height planters and watch them be decorative & handy as a repellant.  With several different colors and types, it is easy to find basil that fits your theme.  These plants grow big pillow-y leaves and smell awesomely herbal.

Lemongrass – This cheap easily grown grass is a great deterrent for mosquitoes and can be used for teas and for flavoring on different dishes.  You can’t eat your OFF! So this is definitely a plus.  Lemongrass is a nice plant to pot and have in corners and as an accent plant to put around the patio.

Citronella Plant/Grass – We have all burned the candles, why not grow the plant? Look around, they now have the “Mosquito Plants” for sale that are a form of citronella.  This is the natural version pictured to the left, however there are a few variations sold as citronella.

Rosemary – Everyone has used rosemary at one time or another in the kitchen, but to repel mosquitoes…  This handy herb can put some zing in a pork chop and take the sting out of the summer by running of mosquitoes.  Not only that, it looks great while doing it!  See the picture to the right and you will notice some rosemary trimmed into decorative bushes.

Catnip – It isn’t just for cat toys anymore.  This plant, we are finding out… is more powerful at repelling mosquitoes than DEET!  Be sure to plant some in and around your patio or pool area to keep those biting bugs away.  Of course if you keep some of this handy and dry it out, you can give it to your kitties when you need to occupy them for about a MILLION HOURS!

Marigolds – These plants have a smell that tends to chase off anyone and anything for that matter.  Used to keep some bugs away from gardens, this flower will do the same for your mosquito problem.  Plant them around and enjoy their blooms as well.  They look beautiful in pots, so stick these in corners and around your patio for a hint of color.

Garlic – Garlic has been used to repel tons of varieties of pests for years, so it is no surprise that it ends up on our list.  This plant is not only useful to keep those stingers at bay… but you can also pop it out of the ground, let it dry and use it in the kitchen!  Garlic is a great companion plant for some problem plants, so check to see where you can grow this to not only benefit your patio area or backyard, but also to benefit your other plants!

Tansies – These flowers, often called “mums” are beautiful to spread around a patio or garden area – but not only do they provide color (pink, yellow, red just to name a few); these guys will keep you from slapping yourself all weekend while at the pool.  Use tansies here and there to add color to your patio area.  Remember you can use these in vases when they are in bloom to spruce up your house as well.