Annoying, harmful mosquito
With an increased global awareness of various chemicals' effects on the environment and personal health, many people are looking for alternatives to using insect-repellent sprays. An effective yet organic option for repelling mosquitoes is to utilize certain plants and flowers that naturally deter mosquitoes. You can grow these plants in pots and keep them either outdoors or indoors, or plant them outside near your house to repel mosquitoes. Does this Spark an idea?
Lemon Grass
Lemon grass (Cymbopogon nardus) contains the same citronella oils used to make the mosquito-repellent candles. Also called citronella grass, lemon grass is a tropical, clumping ornamental grass that grows 5 to 6 feet tall with cane-like stems and grayish, flat, 3-foot-long and 1-inch-wide leaf blades. Lemon grass grows best in full sunlight and doesn't tolerate freezing winter temperatures. In tropical or subtropical climates, you can grow lemon grass as a perennial, but it will grow only as an annual in cold-winter regions.
Rosemary
Rosemary's plant oils repel mosquitoes.
Rosemary herbs (Rosemarinus officinalis) grow into shrubs and contain oils that repel mosquitoes. In addition to their aromatic needle-like leaves that can add flavor to a wide range of cuisine, rosemary is also an attractive landscape shrub. Rosemary bushes grow up to 6 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide, growing best in well-draining, sandy soils and in full sunlight. Rosemary shrubs are hardy down to only 15 degrees Fahrenheit, but they can grow easily indoors in containers and kept small.
Catnip
Catnip herbs (Nepeta cataria) also contain oils that repel mosquitoes and are part of the mint family of plants. In addition to attracting felines, catnip plants also bloom during summer in clusters of 3/8-inch-wide flowers that have white and purple spotted petals. Catnip plants are perennials that grow up to 3 feet tall, and grow best in well-draining soils and full to partial sunlight. Catnip can grow in a wide range of climates, although the plants can become invasive in some environments.
Marigolds
Marigolds deter mosquitoes and many other harmful pests.
In addition to deterring a wide range of garden insects, marigolds (Tagetes spp.) are also effective in repelling mosquitoes. Marigolds are tender tropical flowers that are most commonly grown as annuals throughout the world. Hundreds of marigold varieties exist and are separated into three main categories. African marigolds (T. erecta) are tall varieties that grow up to 3 feet in height and have a shorter flowering period than French marigolds (T. patula), which grow 6- to 12-inches tall with 2-inch-diameter flower blossoms. Triploid marigolds are hybrids of African and French species, which can bloom constantly with 3-inch-wide flowers. Marigolds can grow in nearly any soil type, but they require full sunlight and watering during dry spells or droughts.
Tags: repel mosquitoes, feet tall, flowers that, full sunlight, grow feet, wide range