These mosquito repellent plants are a rather practical part. Here’s how to place them in a clean container garden that can be proudly displayed on your patio. Plants that keep mosquitoes away are recommended for me to use.
Keep mosquitoes from crashing your party by creating a gorgeous herbal patio planter that keeps pests away. There are many plants that don’t like mosquitoes and other chewing insects, mainly strong aromatic herbs and flowering plants. Creating a garden of repeat mosquito containers that can be placed in fun spaces, such as patios, decks, or lawns, will help you clean your planters and party while keeping mosquitoes from finishing early.
This recipe was created for places where you get at least 6-8 hours of sun per day. The plants become large and wild in containers, flowers at different times and have different textures of leaves, making them interesting.
Mosquito repellent plants used
A. Marigold
Calendula “Bonbon Bright Yellow” Decorative Yellow Pom Pom Style Flower Head is 12 inches tall and suitable for containers. Marigolds contain compounds found in many insect repellents. Flower shapes do not damage insects.
B. Lavender
Lavandula Angustifolia’s “Thumbelina Leigh” is a compact 6-12-inch plant perfect for containers. If you cut this large amount of bloomers in half after flowering, they will bloom up to three times a year. The heavenly scent of lavender is clearly unpleasant for mosquitoes.
Are you wondering how to grow this lovely herb? Check out this post full of tips and tricks on how to grow lavender.
C. Pineapple Mint
“Variegata” by Mentha Suaveolens is a decorative mint with white rimmed leaves and a hairy texture. It has a pleasant sweet mint scent on the highly decorative leaves, making it an attractive addition to the container. All members of the Mint family act as mosquito repellent plants, but we chose this one especially for its decorative charm.
This is a handy guide on how to grow this (and other) mint varieties.
D. Floss Flower
ageratum ‘Artist Blue’ include Coumarin is widely used as a commercially available mosquito repellent. Whether it is sufficient to keep pests away from the flowers is debate. The blue-purple, low-growth flowers are welcomed in this beautiful arrangement.
E. Oregano
Origanum vulgare “Hot & Spicy” has blurry leaves, round green hair kicks a little and spills over the pot as it grows.
F. Lemon Balm
Melissa officinalis is one of my favorite mosquito repellent plants! It is fragrant, lemony and big. If the container is not large enough to accommodate this prolific plant, you should be able to rub it nearby while walking through the garden. It can be very invasive, so I allow small patches to grow in a controlled way near my fence (and by being “controlled” it means that I tear it all off regularly before it grows!).
G. Thai Basil
Ocimum Basilicum pointed with green leaves and new purple growth. The flavor has more anise or licorice than sweet basil. It is an attractive herb and tasty with coconut milk and red curry. Like mint, basil is generally the type of person who dislikes mosquitoes. I especially chose Thai basil because of its appearance and flavor, but basil blocks nasty mosquitoes.
As an added bonus, if you find yourself having too much basil, you should try some of these incredible basil recipes!
H. Lemon Thyme
Thymus Citridros is a colorful evergreen thyme, which is quite yellow and green, with a lemony smell and taste. The yellow pop complements the marigold and adds even more brightness to the planters. Lemon thyme is said to be more effective at repelling mosquitoes than other thyme varieties.
What about geraniums with the scent of citronella?
It is true that mosquitoes do not like citronella, but that is the citronella grass they don’t like. “Mosquito Plants” are a type of geranium with a citronella scent that, in my experience, is not a good deterrent for mosquitoes. It’s so pretty in a garden with a fun citrus scent, but despite how it’s on sale, there’s little evidence that it actually repels mosquitoes.
Location, location, location
Creating a container and placing it in a property is not enough to give a message to the mosquito. The best way to use a repeat mosquito container garden is to place it near the meeting area when you enter the garden or lawn. You can place a container next to the aisle or the stairs leading up to the deck, where people and pets can hit the scent leaves and release the scent into the air. While you are outdoors, rub the plants with your hands and rub the scent onto your body.
For more information about mosquito repellent plants and ideas, click here.
With a city girl who learned to garden, it changed everything. Author, artist, master gardener. A better life through plants.
