In South Louisiana, we all share a common enemy during the summer months: mosquitoes. With the lake one on side of the River Parish area, the Mississippi River on the other, and multiple canals and bayous in-between, we cannot do enough to protect ourselves from the overwhelming population of mosquitoes. There are many obvious ways to deal with these pests, including: coating yourself in bug spray, making sure there is no standing water on your property or in your gutters, lining your porches with bug zappers and coils, and silently praising the sound of the “mosquito man” as he sprays that cloud of hope down your street.
In an effort to do absolutely everything possible to spare our selves from that dreaded bite, we at Four Seasons Groundworks decided look at another easy, but not so obvious mosquito repellant solution – PLANTS!
Most people are aware that mosquitoes are attracted to certain odors (this is why you might get eaten up while the person next to you may not have a single mosquito bite). Using this logic, let’s take a look at some plants and herbs that can either help to mask your scent OR that have a naturally displeasing order to the insect family!
Here is a list of 5 plants with strong scents that help to keep pesky mosquitoes at a distance.
BASIL: This popular herb doubles as an insect repellent. In 2009, a study showed that the essential oil from this plant is toxic to mosquito larvae.
CITRONELLA GRASS: Most of us are familiar with citronella candles, but these candles are come from a particular strain of grass. Citronella grass can easily be planted in larger planters to keep near you favorite outdoor hangout areas!
LAVENDER: Lavender is a very popular and multipurpose plant. Often used in lotion, essential oil, candles, the lavender plant is also good at repelling flying insects – including mosquitoes.
MARIGOLDS: This flowers contain Pyrethrum, which is an ingredient found in some forms of insect repellants. Marigold flowers can be a beautiful addition to any flower bed and their aroma is unpleasant to insects.
SAGE/ROSEMARY: Though just planting these your garden won’t do much to deter mosquitoEs in your yard, burning them during your backyard gathering over a fire pit or coals will do just the trick and wont stink up the air around you with harmful chemicals!
Looking to add some of these plants to your garden? Visit our contact page to get a FREE quote or to learn what nurseries Four Seasons Groundworks trusts!