This herb is a popular culinary seasoning that is most commonly used in chicken dishes. While it tastes great, rosemary also helps keep several different types of insects away from your family. You can burn rosemary in a fire for an aromatic insect repellent, but be careful not to get too close to the smoke. If you’re looking for natural “green” mosquito repellents, this list of mosquito-repelling plants is a great place to start.
- Plants alone are unlikely to deter large amounts of mosquitos.
- Citronella grass has one of the most fragrant scents of all citronella plants.
- Before you grab a can of chemical bug spray, you can take a stand against mosquitoes with a few well-chosen houseplants.
These sun-loving morningside farm ohio plants require at least four hours of sunlight a day, but the more light they receive, the better. Geraniums provide your flower beds with a burst of color, while also working to keep mosquitoes away. These colorful flowers thrive in warm weather but require protection from colder temperatures.
What Scents Actively Deter Mosquitoes?
Burning the leaves of this plant can repel mosquitoes too. Thyme can grow well both indoors and out, and they need a soil that drains very well with a pH of around 6.0. You’ll want to add an organic fertilizer in the spring, and plant your thyme in an area that gets plenty of sun. There is a chemical in this mosquito repellent plant called coumarin, and you’ll find it listed in commercial-grade mosquito repellents. This plant produces fuzzy flowers in light purple from the spring to the fall months that are a great addition to your garden or landscape.
Light Citronella Candles
With its medium-textured leaves, it produces a lovely green clump in your yard alongside other herbs and flowers. Tea, fruit or green salad, and fish all benefit from the plant’s flavorful leaves, which are at their best when they are cut back on a regular basis. The plants naturally emit strong scents and essential oils. These plants should be placed in areas where guests frequently pass by, such as near a seating area or a doorway. Fragrant rosemary leaves and flowers are good at repelling mosquitoes.
Be sure to keep it reined in, or it will take over your flowerbed. Rosemary is a very popular herb which looks beautiful and has many culinary uses. Rosemary is also one of the best plants that repel mosquitoes . One factor that you should consider is that citronella oil on its own evaporates fairly quickly. This means that as an insect repellent it is just as effective as DEET, the most common chemical compound used in insect repellents.
You also need to be careful of any allergies you may have. Always start with a test run to make sure your skin doesn’t react poorly. The vodka and water make the oils lighter and easier to spray. The vodka also helps to elevate the dissipation capacity of the oils. If you want to make good use of it, crush the leaves and extract the oil.
Grow More Plants Indoors
When it comes to the soil requirement, make sure the soil is well-draining but moist. Place the scented geranium in a location that receives full sun. To keep the plant growing in a bushy shape, make sure to pinch off the tips of each stem in the early spring. If you live in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 5 through 8 then you can grow this plant as a perennial. If you live in any other plant hardiness zone then you will either have to bring your sage indoors or just grow it as an annual.
You can then rub the crushed grass on your skin or place it around outdoor living areas as a pest repellent. Garlic has long been used to repel mosquitoes from humans. Eating garlic leaves the potent scent and taste in your bloodstream, making you a less tasty meal for mosquitoes. Most people don’t think to plant garlic, though, which can have a similar effect on mosquitoes in your yard. Its strong scent lingers through its shoots, and mosquitoes will want no part of the area in which they’re planted. Horsemint, also called bee balm, is another plant that is good for driving off mosquitoes.
Chances are, you’ve heard of this one before- it’s one of the most common ingredients in most mosquito repellents. Strange enough though, many people don’t even know that citronella is actually a plant! Citronella is a beautiful perennial clumping grass that emits a strong aroma. That aroma masks other scents, and keeps mosquitoes from being attracted to things located around it. These flowers contain a compound called pyrethrum, which is often found in commercial mosquito repellents.
