Are mosquitoes a nightmare? Here are 8 common plants that will help you keep them away!
Summer is a beautiful season, but as in every year, it arrives with its friends. In fact, if you have a garden, or when you happen to take long walks in green nature, you may have already noticed, that inexorably, along with the humid summer heat, the mosquitoes arrive.
If the best way to avoid being stung when you are out and about town is still by applying spray and anti-mosquito creams, you can do without them at home, thanks to help from the world of plants!
Some plants, in fact, act as a natural repellent, so that if planted at home or in your garden, they keep these annoying insects at a safe distance, saving your skin!
Here are the names and descriptions of eight of these miraculous plants:
1. Citronella (Lemongrass)
The first on the list is obviously Citronella (Lemongrass)! This plant has always been used in candles, and today even in natural sprays and is also a powerful deterrent against mosquitoes! In fact, it emanates a scent that is mild and pleasant for our noses but is unbearably unpleasant for mosquitoes, which is why they stay away! In addition, lemongrass is a fairly resilient plant and when it is properly protected from the cold, it could be a valid ally also for the next summer!
2. Basil
If you already have some basil plants for culinary use and consumption, now you could add more, and not just to prepare spaghetti with pesto which is perfect for this season. In fact, basil is a formidable anti-mosquito repellent, highly harmful to their larvae. It is, therefore, useful to plant basil near water sources, where mosquito lay their eggs, as it helps to drastically reduce their number.
3. Calendula
The Calendula plant which has innumerable beneficial properties for our health gives off an intense fragrance, from which not only mosquitoes run away but many other types of pesky insects, such as lepidopterans, aphids and bed bugs. It is therefore advisable to plant it in a vegetable garden (if you have one), but also in flowerbeds, on the patio, and at the entranceway, considering the beauty of its flowers!
4. Catnip (not the classic one)
This is the "Nepeta cataria", a variant of the classic catnip for cats, for which the latter go crazy. And if they love it, how can we not appreciate it too? Especially considering that catnip grass acts as a natural barrier against mosquitoes, ten times more effective than a chemical repellent! Easy to grow, however, it is also highly invasive! Therefore, it is good to keep its growth under control while it keeps the mosquitoes at bay.... and drives your cat crazy.
5. Geraniums
Photo by David J. Stang/Wikimedia
Widespread among garden lovers for its flowers that have various colors and tonalities, the geranium keeps mosquitoes away thanks to its strong lemon scent. Its growth is luxuriant, especially in warm, dry and sunny climates, but can also adapt to lower temperatures.
6. Rosemary
Used essentially as a spice, the scent of rosemary is well known both to us and to mosquitoes, although with different effects, given that they escape from it; and they are not the only ones. Rosemary, in fact, is also useful for eliminating other types of invasive insects, which is one more reason to plant it in your vegetable garden!
7. Peppermint
Its fresh pungent aroma can refresh and enliven us during the torrid summer days (and nights), but this is not the case for mosquitoes and other insects. It is also extremely effective for eliminating insect larvae and eggs. Therefore, it should always be present in your vegetable garden!
8. Lavender
Its romantic appearance conceals instead a ruthless repellent for mosquitoes and other volatile insects, which are repelled by its lovable (for us) perfume. Another way to exploit its repellent properties is to rub the flowers directly on your skin. Of great aesthetic effect, it can be planted wherever you prefer, but pay attention to its growth. Lavender, is, in fact, a highly invasive plant.
