Cathy Isom gives us a run-down on some of the plants that work best at repelling mosquitoes. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
Mosquitoes are annoying insects that can plague your backyard barbecues and also pose serious health risks. Unfortunately, humans have an aroma that attracts mosquitoes. To avoid them, try planting some mosquito repellant plants in your backyard.
Many of these plants are aromatic. For example, lavender emits a delicious scent to humans that evokes a sense of relaxation, but mosquitoes find the smell repulsive. Basil is actually toxic to mosquito larvae, so put one or two plants near the areas that typically have standing water to stop mosquitoes from laying eggs. Bee balm is another that will keep the pesky critters at bay. While it’s great at repelling mosquitoes, it’s great at attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Lemon Balm, Lemongrass, Citronella, Rosemary, and Sage all work wonders, too. As well as Catnip and garlic. Geraniums are another flower that has a slight lemon scent, and it can be used to keep many different pests away from your home and garden. They are a mosquito repellent plant and they also repel flies. Scented geraniums contain small amounts of citronella, so that helps deter mosquitoes even more.
I’m Cathy Isom…