Certain plants will deter mosquitoes.
Besides their annoying bite, mosquitoes carry diseases ranging from West Nile Virus to malaria. One method for keeping mosquitoes at bay is planting shrubs that release scents the pests hate. If you live in USDA Hardiness Zone 6A, defined as having winter lows of minus 10 to minus 5 degrees, your shrub choices are more limited than gardeners in warmer zones, but there are still a few mosquito-repelling shrubs for you. Does this Spark an idea?
Rosemary
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) not only repels mosquitoes when the leaves are crushed, but also makes a terrific addition to your culinary garden. Rosemary grows as a drought-tolerant shrub and can be kept in the ground or in containers. For Zone 6A gardens, purchase the largest rosemary shrub you can afford, since larger specimens tolerate cold weather better than smaller plants. If you do buy a small plant, protect it with mulch or bring it indoors during the winter.
Lavender
You may adore the smell of lavender, but mosquitoes flee from the scent of oils released from the crushed leaves of this shrub. English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and spike lavender (Lavandula latifolia) will do best in Zone 6A gardens. These shrubs grow to about 3 feet high and produce lovely purple flowers in the summer. They need full sun and don't require much water.
Artemisia species
Species in the genus Artemisia include sagebrush, wormwood, mugwort and tarragon. These shrubs grow from 1 to 5 feet depending on species and each one releases scent from its crushed leaves that keep away mosquitoes. Wormwood has a silvery appearance and makes a nice background plant to accent plants with darker leaves. Tarragon doubles as a tasty culinary herb. All Artemisia species need full sun and a moderate amount of water.
Snowbrush
Snowbrush (Ceanothus velutinus), also known as tobacco brush, works against mosquitoes and also tolerates the coldest conditions in the USDA Hardiness Zone. The shrub can reach 8 feet tall and wide, but this can be controlled by pruning. When crushed, the glossy green leaves smell awful to mosquitoes. In late spring and early summer, the shrub produces clusters of white flowers. These shrubs need very little water once established.
Tags: These shrubs, Artemisia species, crushed leaves, from crushed, from crushed leaves, Hardiness Zone