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Plant things they hate
There’s some debate about the efficacy of planting certain flowers, herbs and trees to repel mosquitoes. Some swear by it, and some claim there’s
no evidence it works. While the oils of many plants can be harvested and used in topical repellents and room sprays, there’s less evidence that the
plants themselves will discourage the flying vampires. On the other hand, most look and/or smell nice, so it can’t hurt to add them to yards or patios.
AMERICAN BEAUTY-BERRY
is a fast-grow-ing
native shrub with
tiny white flowers and
vibrant purple ber-ries.
The scent of its
crushed leaves might
repel mosquitoes, and
the berries themselves
are edible.
ALLIUMS are beautiful
ornamental flowers best
grown from bulbs, which
should be planted in
the fall. Mums and mari-golds
are easy-to-grow
flowers that repel gar-den
pests like aphids,
slugs and cabbage
worms in addition to
mosquitoes, so consider
planting them in or near
vegetable gardens.
CITRONELLA GRASS
(not to be confused with
the lacy-leaved citronella
geranium) is perhaps the
most famous mosquito-
repelling plant. Its oil
has long been harvested
for candles and other
bug-repellent items, and
the grass itself is a nice
ornamental that can be
grown in containers or
incorporated into land-scaping.
Several HERBS serve
double duty, discour-aging
mosquitoes and
other pests while also
providing fresh sea-sonings
in the kitchen.
Rosemary, thyme, basil,
oregano, tarragon, dill,
chives, fennel, sage,
lemongrass and lemon
verbena all fall into this
category.
LAVENDER is fragrant
potted, fresh cut or
dried and can be used
to deter mosquitoes
and other bugs indoors
and out. Tansy, sweet
fern, wormwood and
pineapple weed are also
commonly harvested,
dried and hung to deter
mosquitoes.
Garlic is a versatile element in the struggle. Growing garlic can discourage mosquitoes, and liquid garlic concentrate is sold as an outdoor repellent
spray. While not recommended for a date night, some people claim eating garlicky foods helps repel mosquitoes.
Go for a predator-plant combo by adding carnivorous plants to landscapes or patios. Native pitcher plants trap pesky insects, including mosquitoes,
but rarely lure in beneficial pollinators. Mosquitoes are too light to trigger the Cape Fear region’s famous Venus flytrap, but the little green carnivores
are fun to have and can thin the housefly population a bit.
Use caution with plants and herbs — including pennyroyal, lemon balm, peppermint and catnip — that deter mosquitoes but are considered invasive.
These can spread quickly and choke out native species, so they should be kept in pots, raised beds or buried containers to prevent over-growth.