No one wants to swat away mosquitos while they are enjoying a barbeque, reading a book, or just sitting out and enjoying a drink. Grow plants that will naturally keep mosquitos away while you enjoy your outdoor living spaces.
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Rid your outdoor space of those pesky mosquitos with these plants that will grow well in containers or flower beds!
Citronella Geraniums
Citronella Geraniums are part-sun to full-sun loving annuals that grow well in containers and in the ground. Space them 18-24” apart in the ground as they will grow like a small shrub. Their fragrance is not overwhelming, and they are very effective as a mosquito repellant.
Lavender
Lavender is a sun-loving perennial that grows well in container gardens or in flower beds. They work very well as a mosquito repellant and they bloom purple to blue flowers during the summer. They can also be used as an herb for lavender lemonade cocktails, iced teas and more.
Rosemary
Rosemary is a great mosquito repellant that looks great in container gardens. It can also be planted in a flower bed. Their spicy aroma scares off the mosquitoes. Throw stems of it on a grill that is beginning to cool down and its aroma will fill the air and push the mosquitoes away even more. The New York Botanical Garden recommends rosemary because it keeps mosquitoes as well as cabbage moths and carrot flies away. While the pests stay away you can enjoy the herb’s scent and use it for cooking.
Sage
Most people normally think of sage as the herb used when cooking Thanksgiving dinner, but it a wonderful herb that will keep mosquitoes away from your barbeque! Try Pineapple Sage for an extra kick that smells wonderful and the bugs hate.
Marigold
These classic summer flowers add a pop of color among all of the other green mosquito-repelling plants! Their strong odor keeps many pests away including bunnies and deer along with mosquitoes. Marigolds come in many colors and look great mixed into container gardens.
Ageratum
Ageratum is a small plant with big potential that contains Coumarin, the smell of which mosquitoes detest. Ageratum is used in commercial industries and is popular in mosquito repellent sprays.
Lemon Balm
This member of the mint family has white flowers and a gentle lemony scent, as well as some healing properties. Lemon balm is particularly good at keeping mosquito bites low, but it’s also an invasive species, so be careful when growing it. It does well if you plant it in a pot on your patio.
Peppermint
Peppermint is a great herb for container gardens. If you plant this herb in the ground, it will spread very quickly and easily. We do NOT recommend planting it in the ground unless you are doing it intentionally and want a large patch of peppermint.
Lemon Grass
You’ve seen citronella candles on the shelves at the store and have read how they keep the mosquitoes away. Citronella is a natural oil found in lemongrass, an ornamental grass that can grow up to 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide in one season.
Catnip
This fragrant mint cousin contains a natural chemical called nepetalactone, which is both a feline attractant and a useful insect repellent. Though if you’re not interested in a bunch of cats moving into the area, skip this one and move onto a different plant.
Ways to Use Mosquito Repelling Plants
1. Create Mosquito Repelling Planters for around your patio
- Use a mix of mosquito repelling plants to make the ultimate bug blaster!
- Our favorite mix: Citronella Geraniums, Lemon Grass, Lantana, Ageratum and Sage
2. Swap your traditional annuals with mosquito repelling plants
- Use Lemon Grass Plants for Spikes in planters
- Add in lantana, ageratum and marigolds as your filler plants
- Use sage as a silvery filler
- Use peppermint and thyme as spillers
- Citronella geraniums are great filler plants when underplanted with lantana, verbena, petunias
3. Create an herb garden
- Lavender, Rosemary, Sage, Lemon Balm, Peppermint and Catnip are multifaceted plants that can be used for mosquito repelling, cooking, cocktail making, drying or aromatherapy purposes
Find all of these mosquito-repelling plants and more from May – June at Graf’s!