Mosquitoes are not only annoying to need to stand out when you go outdoors, they are a legitimate cause for health problems. They are looking for people or animals to eat, suck blood and carry all kinds of diseases and viruses with them, such as Malaria, none of them would probably be his worst enemy. But dousing yourself and your family, chemical sprays come with another set of problems that adversely affect health.
So what is a person doing to bump out these biting insects and keep everyone in the home free of disease? Use the power inside. Mosquitoes are drawn to things like sweat and body odor, but some smells like many of us are nice, repelling.There are also a number of fragrant, beautiful plants that contain powerful mosquito repellent properties.
By including these 5 plants in your back yard, you can give up chemical mosquito repelling products and enjoy a much more relaxing outdoor space without fear of getting bitten.
Citronella
While citronella candles are often laden with chemicals, the citronella plant (officially known as the citrosum plant and often referred to as the mosquito plant) can be grown in your garden for mosquito control. The plant carries the fragrance of citronella in its foliage, and when a leaf is crushed and rubbed onto the skin, the aroma is very pleasant, yet it helps to naturally repel those mosquitoes. While not as effective as bottled repellents, it comes without the high price or potentially hazardous chemicals, and when grown in the garden, you’ll always have it on hand.
This perennial clumping grass grows 5 to 6 feet and can be planted in the ground or kept in large pots. The plants tend to do best in full sun in areas with good drainage. If you live in a drought-prone area, you can still plant citronella as it’s relatively tolerant of summer stress.
Lemon Balm
The green leaves of lemon balm have the scent of lemon with a hint of mint, which should be no surprise as it’s a member of the mint family. Not only does it offer lots in the way of healing properties, it’s known for warding off mosquitoes while also attracting important pollinators like butterflies and bees. For a quick mosquito repellent, all you need to do is crush a handful of the leaves in your hand and rub them onto your exposed skin.
By growing lemon balm near your back door or in your garden, the leaves will be handy when you need them. Just keep in mind that while this plant is especially effective for keeping mosquitoes away, it’s also considered an invasive species, you can avoid a takeover by planting it in a pot, rather than directly in your yard or garden. It’s drought resistant, fast growing and reseeds itself, making it ideal for container gardening.
Lavender
Most of us love the smell of lavender, but few realize that it not only offers that fabulous scent, and helps promote a relaxing, calming sensation, but it can keep those tiny invaders from ruining your outdoor dinner party. The pleasant aroma of lavender is offensive to mosquitoes and is best harnessed by planting it in the garden, or in pots situated near doors, windows and entertainment areas.
Peppermint
Not only is peppermint’s minty clean scent significantly better than that awful chemical smell, it can serve as a natural insecticide to repel mosquitoes. In fact, research published in the Malaria Journal revealed just why it’s so effective. The experts discovered that it offered repellent action when applied to exposed body parts, while also showing larvicidal and mosquito repellent action. Mosquito larvae were killed 24 hours after exposure to a solution of peppermint oil and water.
When enjoying your yard or when mosquito problems get severe, crush a few of the leaves on the plant to release the scent and oils.
Rosemary
Rosemary is a beautiful flowering plant that is often used to flavor lamb or fish dishes, but did you know that it is also a natural mosquito repellent?rosemary-150x150
It’s perfect to add to your herb garden or flowerbed to keep bugs away, and it even attracts butterflies!
Plus you can simply snip a few springs off every time you need to add extra flavor to your lamb or steak.