The days are finally getting longer, the snow is (slowly!

) beginning to melt, and spring officially arrives in just

a few days! While the prospect of warmer weather has us all a bit giddy, we cant forget the unwelcome
intruders that tag along with the sunny summer weather.
es, we are tal!ing about mos"uitoes, and everybody !nows that they can be a huge nuisance. #owever,
using chemical products to !eep them away is not on the top of everyones wish list.
$ead on for some ideas of plants that repel mos"uitoes % naturally!
&itronella
&hances are, youve heard of this one before' its one of the
most common ingredients in most mos"uito repellents.
(trange enough though, many people dont even !now that
citronella is actually a plant! &itronella is a beautiful
perennial clumping grass that emits a strong aroma. That
aroma mas!s other scents, and !eeps mos"uitoes from
being attracted to things located around it. The citronella
plant has a much stronger aroma than other mos"uito
repellents that contain citronella, so it is a great choice. &itronella is very easy to grow, and can get to be a
very tall ) or * feet high! ou can grow citronella in pots and place it around a porch or patio, or you can
plant it directly in a yard or garden bed. +ts a great choice for repelling mos"uitoes naturally.
,emon -alm
.nother great choice for a mos"uito repelling plant is lemon
balm. . member of the mint family, the plant also !nown as
horsemint and beebalm is a very easy plant for beginning
gardeners to grow' even if you dont have a green thumb!
,emon -alm is a very hardy plant, it resists drought, and it
grows well even in shade. +t is a very fast growing and
sometimes aggressive plant, so you might want to contain it to a
pot, where you can move it to wherever you li!e to ensure that it
doesnt ta!e over your garden! .n added bonus/ ou can dry
the leaves and use them to ma!e a delicious herbal tea!
&atnip
our feline friends will be happy to !now that catnip is a great
mos"uito deterrent! +n fact, in a 0121 study, researchers found
that catnip is 21 times more effective than 344T, the ingredient
commonly found in bug repellents. +t is a very easy plant to
grow, and if you have cats in the house, they will surely be
happy to have it around. #owever, be careful not to plant catnip
in with other flowers, veggies, or herbs if you have cats around
your garden. They will surely roll around in the catnip and
smash everything nearby!
5arigolds
. bright, hardy annual plant, marigolds are a great choice
for repelling mos"uitoes. 5arigolds contain 6yrethrum, an
ingredient found in many insect repellents, and they have a
uni"ue aroma which bugs find repulsive. The flowers
themselves are beautiful and can ma!e a great border or
addition to any flower bed! Try placing them around borders
of your home, and mos"uitoes might not want to cross over!
-asil
&alling all coo!s! Want a double whammy when it comes to
mos"uito protection/ 6lant some basil! 7ot only will you have a
"uic! and easy mos"uito repellent, you will also have a
delicious fresh herb on hand to add to all of your favorite
recipes! There are many different varieties of basil around, so
feel free to e8periment and find the ones that you li!e best.
5any e8pert gardeners recommend trying lemon basil or
cinnamon basil to deter insects.
,avender
ou probably !now that lavender is a gorgeous purple flowering plant
with a soothing, calming scent. -ut, did you !now that it is also a
natural mos"uito repellent/ 9row it indoors near a sunny window, or
outside in your garden or flower bed to !eep the bugs away. While
youre at it, ma!e a delicious herbal tea, or use lavender to fill your
home with a wonderful calming aroma.
6eppermint
5ost bugs despise the smell and taste of peppermint, so planting it
around your home is a great way to !eep them from dropping by
uninvited! 6lus, if you do happen to get bitten, peppermint leaves rubbed
directly onto the s!in ma!e a great itch relief treatment! .dded bonus for
the wonderful minty smell that ma!es a delicious addition to food and
beverages!
9arlic
:nfortunately for all of us who love +talian food, studies have shown that
4.T+79 garlic does not repel mos"uitoes. (:nless, however, you were to
eat a #:94 amount!) #owever, having garlic around 3;4(! 5a!e sure
to add some garlic to your flower bed or vegetable garden for added
protection!
6ennyroyal
The adorable pennyroyal flower is a natural deterrent for mos"uitoes!
5a!e sure to plant some around your flowerbeds! 6ennyroyal plants
also ma!e great groundcovers, and they attract a plethora of beautiful
butterflies. (ome people even use pennyroyal to flavor certain fish
dishes. .s you can see, this plant has plenty of benefits!

$osemary
$osemary is a beautiful flowering plant that is often used to flavor lamb or fish
dishes, but did you !now that it is also a natural mos"uito repellent/ +ts perfect to
add to your herb garden or flowerbed to !eep bugs away, and it even attracts
butterflies!
6lus you can simply snip a few springs off every time you need to add e8tra flavor
to your lamb or stea!!

9eranium
This beautiful flowering plant is a great choice for mos"uito
repellent. When planted in a hanging container, the colorful blooms
will cascade over the side of the pot, providing a beautiful visual
piece as well as a very useful bug repellent!
.s you can see, there are many different plants out there that can
help to !eep bugs away! 7e8t time you reach for the chemical bug
spray, ta!e a minute and thin! again, and choose something more
natural!