Mosquitos are annoying at best and can sometimes carry dangerous diseases at worst. Rather than lather yourself with bug spray and other commercial repellents, you can add some of these plants to your garden or outdoor landscape to create your own repellents. To be effective, you need to trim the leaves from these plants and crush them to release the essential oils within. It is these oils that actually repel the mosquitos, not the plants themselves. Does this Spark an idea?
Citronella Grass
This plant can grow as tall as 6 feet and is the source of the oils used in the popular citronella candles.
Rosemary
Rosemary is a tasty herb that can be offensive to mosquitos.
Thyme
Thyme herbs contain oils that will repel gnats as well as mosquitos.
Catnip
While catnip may drive your pet cats crazy, it will keep mosquitos far away. Catnip has proven to be up to 10 times as effective as commercial repellents.
Marigolds
Marigolds have a bright range of warm hues but also possess a smell that is offensive to many insects and animals, including mosquitos and aphids.
Other Plants
Though less effective than the previous plants, lemon balm, peppermint, eucalyptus and lavender also contain oils that are offensive to mosquitos.
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