Using plants to deter and keep mosquitoes away from both your home and your skin is an all-natural and safe alternative to using man-made products that contain chemicals. There are a number of plants you can add to your garden and yard to naturally repel mosquitoes, and in some cases, you can even crush or rub plants on your skin to keep mosquitoes away. Plants that are commonly used to repel mosquitoes are citronella, marigolds, catnip, horsemint, and ageratum, in addition to several others. Continue reading this article to learn about the many ways in which plants can be used to keep mosquitoes away from your living environment
Grow citronella in your garden or yard. Citronella masks the surrounding scents around your home and garden that attract mosquitoes, preventing them from coming too near.
- Plant citronella directly into the ground behind your other plants if you live in warm climates where frost does not occur. Citronella can grow to a height of up to between 5 and 6 feet (1.52 and 1.82 meters) and forms in large, grassy clumps.
- Place your citronella plants in large planters if you live in cold and freezing climates. This will give you the ability to move your planters indoors during freezing temperatures and harsh weather conditions.
- Verify that the citronella plants you use are called Citronella winterianus or Cybopogon nardus, as opposed to plants labelled "citronella-scented," which may not be authentic citronella plants.
Place marigold plants on the border of your lawn or garden. The smell that marigolds emit will prevent mosquitoes from entering a specific area, functioning similar to a border.
Plant marigolds in areas with fertilized soil that can be exposed to full sunlight at all times.
Grow catnip in your yard if you do not have cats for pets. Catnip can be grown directly next to plants that attract mosquitoes as a deterrent; however, neighborhood cats and your pet cats may be attracted to the catnip.
- Plant catnip behind or next to your plants that normally attract mosquitoes, since catnip grows in a pattern similar to weeds.
Plant horsemint if you live in dry climates or near a coast. Horsemint works similarly to citronella, but can withstand dry weather, sandy soil, and salty air.
- Grow horsemint in either a shaded or sunny area with enough room to allow the plant to grow between 2 and 3 feet (60.96 and 91.44 cm) in both width and height.
Plant ageratum within any climate. Ageratum secretes a scent considered offensive to mosquitoes, and only grows to a maximum of 18 inches (45.72 cm) in height.
- Grow ageratum within any type of soil in a location that receives partial or full exposure to direct sunlight.
Grow herbs that repel mosquitoes. In addition to having the ability to eat them, herbs such as rosemary, basil, lemongrass, and garlic will naturally keep mosquitoes away.
Crush and rub certain species of mosquito-repellent plants on your skin. This will help deter mosquitoes in areas of your home or yard that may not contain mosquito-repellent plants, in addition to keeping your skin protected away from home.
- Apply crushed catnip, citronella, vanilla leaf, tea tree, lemon balm, clove, lavender, eucalyptus, sagebrush, or pineapple weed directly to your skin.
Warnings
- Never keep marigolds in areas close to your windows, patio tables, and other areas you may dwell often, as the bright colors of marigolds will often attract wasps.
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