I detest mosquitoes. I hate that itchy sensation they leave and the fact that they can carry Zika or the West Nile Virus. I also prefer not to use toxic chemical repellents like DEET. Especially when a plant-based, natural mosquito repellent gets the job done.
The good news is, planning and planting a natural mosquito repellent landscape can be fun, challenging, and a worthwhile part of homestead management. When you keep insect infestations to a minimum, both people and pets are healthier and happier.
To help keep away mosquitoes and other bothersome, disease-carrying critters, edge patios, and walkways with plants that act as a natural mosquito repellent. Not only are these plants beautiful, they will add visual interest and scent the air with delightful fragrances.
There are also a variety of oils that can keep those annoying pests at bay. Read on to learn more about natural mosquito repellents for your home and garden and effective ways to avoid bug bites, too.
Prevent Mosquitoes From Breeding
The first step in ridding the homestead of mosquitoes is to eliminate their breeding ground by preventing water from collecting and becoming stagnant.
- Clean and change the water in birdbaths, wading pools, watering troughs, and plant trays weekly.
- Clean out your rain gutters twice yearly.
- Remove obstructions to promote water flow from drainage ditches and puddles.
- Avoid overwatering your lawn.
- Cover, turn over, or remove any containers that can hold water such as toys, tarps, buckets, ceramic pots, or old tires.
Marigolds
To me, marigolds are some of the summer’s finest flowers. They are incredibly easy to grow, they produce an abundance of seed (that I gather to plant in barren areas of the landscape), they are cheerful, bright, and beautiful — and they add a splash of sunshine to the scene. There are dozens of different varieties, and most importantly, they attract bees and are an effective natural repellent against mosquitos.
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Marigolds also repel Mexican bean beetles, thrips, fleas, squash bugs, tomato hornworms, aphids, and whiteflies. Marigolds do best in a full sun location with moist but well-drained, nutrient-rich soil. Marigolds love manure. I have planted in areas enhanced with aged herbivore manure (goat, sheep, cow, horse, llama) and planted marigolds in the soil with no added supplements. There is a difference.
In the flower bed where I worked in horse manure (that had been aging behind the fence for years) versus the unfertilized soil, my marigolds were humongous.
Scented Geraniums
Pots, planters, and hanging baskets of scented geraniums are not only attractive around a deck, pool, or patio, they also create a beautiful barrier to mosquitoes and other insect critters. Plant marigolds, trailing geraniums, nasturtiums, rosemary, or basil commingled in a basket or container, as well as in the garden.
只要你混合的所有植物都有相同的护理要求,就可以单独种植任何一种防虫植物或与其他花一起种植。记住,篮子很快就会变干。你可能需要每天浇水两次。
Keep baskets damp, mist daily, and provide good drainage in the sun. Scented geranium baskets will also do well indoors in a sunny spot. Deadhead the flowers when they are spent and regularly prune to encourage new growth.
Allium
A member of the same plant family as onions and garlic,Allium释放出一种蚊子无法忍受的刺鼻气味。这种植物是花园中可爱的点缀,长而细的茎上开着粉红色、淡紫色或深紫色的球形花。Alliumcousins, garlic and onion, are also powerful mosquito deterrents.
Cinnamon Oil
Super aromatic and tasty in all sorts of baked treats, cinnamon a good spice to have on hand, and it can work well as a natural mosquito repellent. For an in-home repellent, combine 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon oil and 4 ounces of water in a spray bottle. Spray the solution throughout the house, on plants, and upholstered furniture. A DIY cinnamon oil bug spray is a good alternative to noxious chemicals.
Sage
If you have sage nearby when family and friends gather around the backyard fire pit, throw a handful on the flames. You can grab a fresh bunch or dry sage in advance for this purpose.
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I cultivate several varieties for their culinary zing and for drying to make into smudge sticks. Sage smoke cleanses the air, keeps away mosquitoes, and has a pleasant earthy scent.
Cedar Wood & Cedar Trees
新砍下的雪松枝干散发出一种温暖、刺鼻、令人愉快的气味。露营时,把树枝放在睡袋下面作为天然的驱蚊剂。雪松还擅长阻止蜱虫、鹿蝇、蜘蛛、蚊蚋和蚂蚁。
Or if bugs start to bite when walking in the woods, snip a few cedar needles, crush them in your fist, and rub on exposed skin. Flying and creeping critters will stay away.
I lovingly tuck woolen blankets and winter sweaters in my grandmother’s cedar chest to keep them free from damaging moths. Place blocks or balls of cedar in closets and cupboards to repel silverfish, moths, spiders, crickets, cockroaches, and other unwelcome insect infestations.
If you are fortunate enough to have a closet or cupboard lined with cedar, you can refresh the pungency of the fragrance by lightly sanding the wood. Your storage space will smell as fresh and clean as the day the closet was installed.
Neem Oil
You’re probably familiar with neem oil as a great pest deterrent for indoor and outdoor plants. Same goes for mosquitoes in the garden!Buy some all-natural sprayand apply it as a natural mosquito repellent for your plants as needed.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Avoid mosquito bites at your next BBQ with apple cider vinegar. Mosquitos hate the smell of vinegar and will keep away from you and your plants. Check outthis recipe from SPUD Edmontonfor how to make a DIY ACV spray at home.
Rosemary
I love the slightly musky scent of rosemary. It’s another stellar natural mosquito repellent. Rosemary does best in a hot, dry climate. If you live in the southwestern region of the country, planting a rosemary hedge or border around your patio is a great idea.
It will keep away insect pests, and you can use it in your culinary creations. Prune rosemary to maintain its size and shape, and enjoy the herb’s heady scent for years to come. For those of us in the north, rosemary is an excellent container plant. I grow it outdoors in pots in the summer, and move the planters indoors during the winter months. Rosemary oil works well as a spray-on repellent, too.
Bee Balm
Commonly known as horsemint or bergamot, bee balm (Monarda) does a remarkable job when it comes to repelling mosquitoes. As a bonus, it is a beautiful landscape plant providing splashes of white, pink, and lavender all summer long. Bee balm repels mosquitoes as effectively as citronella grass or citronella-based products.
Citronella
Used for decades as an animal and insect repellent, citronella (known as the “mosquito plant”) is useful in repelling mosquitoes, fleas, and biting flies. You can grow it quickly in a container or use oil of citronella — an essential oil derived from dried cultivated grasses. And of course, citronella candles are a great option too.
植物本身并不排斥生物。是叶子里面的油起了作用。在夏天的几个月里,我在天井门口放了一个很大的香茅盆栽。它的位置是这样的,当一个人通过门的时候,会碰到它,从而释放出油。这种气味令人愉快,但蚊子却讨厌它。
香茅油存在于各种各样的驱虫产品中,包括喷雾剂、凝胶、乳液、湿巾和蜡烛。它能很好地驱赶苍蝇、蚊子、蠓虫、飞蛾和甲虫。
When applied according to label instructions, citronella oil is safe and does not cause harm to humans, pets, or the planet. Similar to citronella, lemongrass oil is another bright, citrusy scent that mosquitoes hate. If you have it on hand, you can combine it in a spray bottle with some witch hazel to create a DIY mosquito spray. Or, combine lemongrass essential oil withcoconut oilto create a long-lasting mosquito repellent cream.
Lemon Balm
Lemon balm, planted in pots around the patio or poolside, keeps the area clear of bothersome insect pests. I keep a pot of lemon balm on the kitchen window sill to deter irritating fruit flies and of course, those pesky mosquitoes.
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It is best to plant lemon balm in containers as once established, it can become invasive. My lemon balm patch is in the herb garden and blocked off by rocks to keep it from spreading. Lemon balm likes plenty of sunshine and nutrient-rich, moist, well-drained soil.
Mint
My herb garden is home to several varieties of mint. I especially like pineapple mint which is an attractive variegated variety, but also apple mint, chocolate, peppermint, spearmint, and pear. In addition to keeping insects away, fat bunches of fresh mint are big sellers at our local farmers market.
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It smells great, and the bugs stay away. Dried mint is excellent in tea blends, and dried mint leaves sprinkled in kitchen cupboards or the corner of cabinets, will repel ants and other creepy creatures.
White Sage
神圣的或白圣不仅是为了驱除恶灵或坏运气。白鼠尾草还可以驱除叮咬的昆虫。在花园周围种植圣鼠尾草,以击退胡萝卜蝇、蚜虫、蚊子、黄蜂和粉虱。
White sage also deters cabbage moths, and (as with cedar) if bugs are biting, crush a leaf, and rub it on your skin. Sacred or white sage emits a cooling fresh and somewhat camphoraceous fragrance.
Nasturtiums
I love nasturtiums. They create a brilliant splash of color around the garden and patio, they are edible, and they repel aphids, squash bugs, cabbage loopers, mosquitoes, and whiteflies. Nasturtiums grow best in a fun sun location and like lots of moisture.
Basil
甜罗勒,一种嫩的一年生被用作烹饪草本植物,是一种高度芳香的植物,具有辛辣的气味和味道。如果你热爱意大利面,自制香蒜沙司是必不可少的。在整个菜园中种植罗勒,以击退各种各样的害虫,并提高番茄的味道。
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Basil is easy to grow, indoors or out. Planted outdoors, basil will reseed itself in warm climates and come back every year. Basil is also especially effective at keeping bugs away from roses.
Catnip
Catnip (also known as catmint) thrives in most United States Hardiness Zones. A member of the mint family, you can cultivate catnip as a commercial crop, or it can become a troublesome weed.
Like all members of the mint family, catnip spreads vigorously if not contained. Planted in pots and containers, catnip is a highly effective natural mosquito repellent. More effective than DEET.
Feverfew, floss flower, lavender, coriander, thyme, pineapple weed, and pennyroyal are similarly useful and attractive mosquito repellents.
Tea Tree Oil
虽然茶树油最受欢迎的特性是抗菌,但它作为一种天然的驱蚊剂也很好。虽然我们说的是精油,但薰衣草油和柠檬桉树油的混合物也很有效。
References
- Sweet Basil, United States Department of Agriculture
- Mosquito Repellent Plant Guide, York County, Virginia
- Sweet Basil, The University of Illinois Extension
- Citronella, United States Department of Environmental Protection
- Failure of the “mosquito plant”, United States Library of Medicine
- CDC’s Guide to Preventing Tick and Mosquito Bites, Center for Disease Control
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