A gorgeous sunny day with a slight breeze is inviting you to spend some time in your backyard. You might want to spend your time in the garden, have a BBQ or hang out by the pool.
Getting bit by a mosquito is definitely not on your to-do list. Learn about some plants mosquitoes hate and how your garden might just keep them away.
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From March through October, in Phoenix, you just might have some uninvited blood-sucking guests. If you prefer not to spray chemicals in the air or on your skin there are some more “natural” mosquito repellants you can grow in your garden. Below are seven plants mosquitoes hate and just might keep the mosquitoes away.
Plants to Grow that Keep the Mosquitoes Away
- lavender
- peppermint
- rosemary
- basil
- lemon balm
- sage
- catnip
Plants Mosquitoes Hate
What do all these Plants have in Common? and Why Don’t Mosquitoes like these Plants?
Lavender
While many find the scent of lavender soothing and pleasant, mosquitoes don’t share this opinion. Linalool, a compound in the essential oil from lavender, repels mosquitoes.
Lavender transplants or lavender seeds can be purchased at your local nursery, big box store or online.
Peppermint
An aromatic herb, Peppermint is used to flavor food and pesky mosquitoes don’t seem to like it. Plant strategically around your outdoor seating space.
Peppermint transplants can be purchased at your local nursery, big box store or online.
Rosemary
Fresh rosemary is very aromatic. Choose trailing rosemary if you’re looking for a low growing plant or grow upright as a shrub.
Throw some of this in your fire pit to help keep the mosquitoes away or grow it near your outdoor seating area.
Purchase Rosemary transplants at your local nursery, big box store, or online.
Basil
Add basil to your flowering pots around your backyard seating area.
Purchase Basil transplants and basil seeds at your local nursery, big box store or online.
Lemon Balm
If you prefer a citrusy scent, Lemon Balm smells amazing. As a bonus mosquitoes don’t care for it. Plant lots of lemon balm around your porch or patio.
Purchase Lemon balm transplants at your local nursery, big box store or online.
Sage
Many people burn sage to cleanse a space as part of a religious or spiritual ritual. Try growing sage in your backyard to repel mosquitoes or add some to your fire pit.
Purchase Sage transplants at your local nursery, big box store or online.
Catnip
You might attract some neighborhood felines with catnip, but you’ll repel mosquitoes. Plant this herb in your yard for the pretty purple flowers.
Purchase Catnip transplants or catnip seeds at your local nursery, big box store or online.
What do all these Plants have in Common?
While we may find many of these aromatic plants attractive, but mosquitoes don’t agree.
Plant these pretty plants around your porch or patio. Add them to your flower pots near your outdoor seating areas. If you’re sitting around a fire pit try throwing some of these herbs in the fire. The herbs not only smell amazing they just might deter mosquitoes.
All of these plants are part of the Mint, or Lamiaceae, family.
Why does this work?
These plants emit an odor that is a turn off for mosquitoes. The plant may smell pleasant to humans but compounds found in the plant oil is like sensory overload for a mosquito.
If you’re sitting by a fire pit try adding some herbs such as rosemary, sage, or catnip to deter mosquitoes.
