Do n’t you just daydream of a arrant garden , where there are n’t WASP and mosquitoes buzzing around you whilst you ’re having the time of your living in your backyard ?
I ca n’t assure all of it , but one thing that will get you one measure nearer to this is growing pest - repellent plants in your garden that will keep these bugs away .
Different plant deter different bugs , so plant various species and reap all their benefits , protect your crop as well as your tegument .
Let’s check them out!
10 Pest-Repellent Plants For An Insect-Free Garden
Pest - deterrent plant use their aroma , texture , and savor to repel insects . The following ones can get rid of almost any nuisance , from flies and mosquitoes to tomato hornworms and slugs .
Repels : Cabbage worm , Nipponese beetle , slugs and snails , aphids
necessitate : Full sun , complimentary - draining medium
USDA zone:3-8
Allium such as onions , garlic , leeks , shallots , etc . can serve a double purpose in your garden . They ’re arrant for repel plague and you ’re able to harvest them to add more flavor to your dish .
These plants exudea sulfur smell(onion - like ) that pests detest . It masks the aroma of other plant that pests do like , so it will keep your other flowers and vegetable safe . (1)
There are many varieties you may turn , and you may choose to plant bulbs from multiple types that bloom at different multiplication and keep your garden safe all season long .
observe : One common comrade planting method is turn alliums near roses to keep them safe from aphids .
Repels : Mosquitoes , houseflies , thrip , aphids , ants , tomato hornworms , fly
Requires : Full sun , well - drain soil
USDA zone:10 - 11 ( recurrent )
This miracle herb is an essential component in summer dishes and salads and it keeps you safe from mosquito .
Crush some of its leaves and rub it onto your skin or burn it over the BBQ to ward off these nuisance .
It incorporate compounds such aslinalool , thymol , and cineol , all of which have outstanding plague - repellent abilities , especially when it come to mosquitoes . (2)
Grow St. Basil near your tomatoes and repel hornworms , aphids , and thrips , keeping your harvest safe and fruit delicious . Otherbasil companion plantsinclude root vegetables , cucumber , etc .
And if you go forth it to flower , it will attract various beneficial insects and look outstanding in flower beds . Plant it indoors in springtime and move it outside once the weather warms up .
3. Catnip
Repels : roach , mosquito , flies , aphids , chou loopers , Japanese beetle , Colorado potato beetles
Requires : Full sun and well - drained dirt
USDA zone:3-9
Catnip is a herb you have to see adding to your garden . It looks gorgeous in an outdoor scene , repels legion plague , and you may even use it when cooking .
This herb containsiridoids – compounds that deter pests and make cats go crazy . In fact , crushed and damaged catnip leaf release 10 multiplication more iridoids , making their consequence much more powerful . (3)
The plant die back in wintertime , but shoot flop back up come up spring . Some bugs and beetles ca n’t stand its scent , so control to grow it in large batches around your delicate flowers and vegetable .
Repels : Fleas , flies , moths , mosquitoes , slugs , aphids , tick , termites
necessitate : Full sun , excellent drainage , moderate fertility
USDA zone:5-10
Lavender is an all - time garden favourite , whether you want some color and fragrance in your rock garden , a gorgeous hedge , or something to keep annoying plague away .
It containslinalool , camphor , and borneolamong other compounds that are great at keeping pests at bay . (4)
Lavender indispensable oil can also assist you get rid of termites without harming the wood . (5)
There are many lilac varieties it ’s potential to plant . English lavender is perfect for cold regions and French lavender is more suited for humid and hot climates .
Repels : Houseflies , fruit flies , stable flies , mosquitoes , WASP
necessitate : Full sun , alimentary - rich , well - drained substratum
USDA zone:10-11
Lemongrass ( also known as citrus grass ) is a gorgeous - look perennial that come from the Torrid Zone .
This plant incorporate various compounds , such asneral , citral geranyl acetate , geranial , and limonene , that are toxic to insect . (2)
it ’s possible to grow it together with citronella grass to double its effectiveness or just lemon grass as it ’s possible to add it to various Asiatic dish , too .
Cymbopogon grass are historically known for their mosquito - repellent abilities and their indispensable oils are still used in sprays and creams used against these insect .
Just check up on that to overwinter it indoors if you live in zones cold than zone 10 because it ca n’t stand temperatures low than 40 ° F .
Lemongrass is arrant for pots due to its heavyset size ( 2 - 4 feet grandiloquent ) , so you could easily skid it indoors and keep it near a sunny window come up wintertime .
Repels : mosquito , squash bugs , tomato worms , root - knot nematodes , aphids , whiteflies , blackflies
necessitate : Full sun , nutrient, therefore- rich and well - drained substrate
USDA zone:2-11
These plants have a longer bloom time of year in warmer zones ( 10 and above ) , where they attract legion pollinator and good insects .
Marigolds containlimonene , which repels whiteflies , and its roots exudeα - terthienyl , which protect the root of other plant from nematode and other harmful organism . (6)
It is also a outstanding trap crop and can keep your plants safe by luring slugs and other pests away from your veggies .
The works flowers from summertime until frost kills it and is a outstanding comrade to almost all flowers , herbs , and vegetables .
Repels : Flies , fleas , mosquitoes , spider , ants
Requires : Part shadiness , moist , and well - drain substrate
USDA zone:3-11
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It contains compound such asmenthol , menthone , pulegone , and others which are all great at deterring certain insect , especially if you use the essential oil . (3)
Peppermint repels ants , so you wo n’t be trouble oneself by these insects crawling all over your terrace and into your home .
However , it can get reasonably invasive ( like many batch plants ) and smother your other plants in the garden , so confirm to grow it in containers or raise bed .
Disperse the potted Mentha piperita all over your garden , near vegetable plot , bloom beds , nerve pathway , and on your patio .
And once it outgrows its container , simply divide the works and set it into more pots . Combine it with spearmint andstrawberry mintfor more diversity and enhanced effect .
8. Rosemary
Repels : Some bean beetle , carrot fly , cabbage moths , mosquitoes , snails and bullet
USDA zone:8-10
Even though this plant is by and large stalwart in warmer climates , there have been case where it grew successfully even in zone 7 and 6 .
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One of theways to use rosemaryis as a pest - repellent . It contains various compound with different properties . Some have antibacterial and antimicrobial properties , while others , such as 1,8 - cineole , camphor , and α - pinene can affect insect . (9)
It is a great plant for your garden , but if you do n’t have soil with good drainage , consider growing it in raise beds or pots .
Repels : Tomato hornworms , mosquitoes , cabbage measuring worm , earworms , maggots , whiteflies
Requires : Full sun , excellent drainage
USDA zone:5-9
There are manyvarieties of thymeyou can grow in your backyard for their pest - repellent abilities .
The essential oil in thyme containthymol – a compound praised for its antioxidant , antimicrobic , and insecticidal property . (9)
Thyme can help on its own or you could increase its effectivity by using its bracing essential oils or burn some on the BBQ to guard off pests .
And it has other benefits for your garden . you could use it as a ground screen to stamp down weed growth and add it to your meals .
crawl thyme varieties are excellent land covers and make great cascading potted display , while upright varieties are arrant for herb garden and clean container - garden expression .
observe : Just check that you do n’t keep its root wet for too long or it may rot . If you live in a rainy region , see turn it in raised bed or pot .
10. Wormwood
Repels : Ants , chou measuring worm , cabbage maggots , carrot flies , flea beetle , whiteflies , aphids , moths , earwigs
Requires : Full to partial sunlight , well - drain dirt
USDA zone:4-9
This strong and woody perennial has a fragrance reminiscent of sage that repels all sorts of plague from your garden .
Wormwood contains compounds , such ascamphor and α - thujone , which have excellent plague - repelling properties , particularly if you use essential oils . (10)
you ’re able to use its dry foliage and disperse it around your garden to deter various insects .
Wormwood flowers are n’t that attractive , but the green foliage is a outstanding canvas it ’s potential to fill with various colours and companion plants .
And the better part is that established plants do n’t require that much attention and can digest dry and sterile soils quite well .
References:
- Glas , A. ( 2015).Gardening Best friend : Allium and Roses . The Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College .
2 . Ludia , R. P. , Shahabuddin , S. , Gatot , S. H. ( 2022).Characterization and Evaluation of Sweet Basil ( Ocimum basilicumL. ) Oil as Larvicidal and Repellent against the Yellow Fever Mosquito . IOP Conference Series : Earth and Environmental Science .
3 . Oza , A. ( 2022).Catnip ’s Insect - Repelling Powers Grow as Puss Chews on It . Science News Explores .
- El Abdali , Y. et.al . ( 2022).Lavandula dentataL. : Phytochemical Analysis , Antioxidant , Antifungal and Insecticidal activity of Its Essential Oil . Plants (Basel).
5 . Šimůnková , K. , Hýsek , Š. , Reinprecht , L. , Šobotník , J. , Lišková , T. , & Pánek , M. ( 2022).Lavender Oil as Eco - favorable Alternative to Protect Wood against termite without Negative Effect on Wood Properties . Scientific Reports.
Plata - Rueda , A. et.al . ( 2020).Insecticidal and Repellent Activities ofCymbopogon citratus(Poaceae ) Essential Oil and Its Terpenoids ( Citral and Geranyl Acetate ) againstUlomoides dermestoides . Crop Protection.
Krueger , R. , Dover , K. E. , McSorley , R. , & Wang , H. ( 2019).Marigolds ( Tagetesspp . ) for Nematode Management . UF IFAS Extension : askifas , power by EDIS .
Baker , B. P. , Grant , J. A. , & Malakar - Kuenen , R. ( 2018).Peppermint & Peppermint Oil Profile Active Ingredient Eligible for Minimum Risk Pesticide Use . New York State Integrated Pest Management Program , Cornell Cooperative Extension .
Krzyżowski , M. , Baran , B. , Łozowski , B. , & Francikowski , J. ( 2020).The Effect ofRosmarinus officinalisEssential Oil Fumigation on Biochemical , Behavioral , and Physiological Parameters ofCallosobruchus maculatus . Insects.
Maia , J. D. , La Corte , R. , Martinez , J. , Ubbink , J. , & Prata , A. S. ( 2019).Improved Activity of Thyme Essential Oil ( Thymus vulgaris ) againstAedes aegyptiLarvae Using a Biodegradable Controlled Release System . Industrial Crops and Products . 11. Naimi , I. , Zefzoufi , M. , Bouamama , H. , & Ba M’hamed , T. ( 2022).Chemical Composition and Repellent Effects of Powders and Essential Oils ofArtemisia absinthium , Melia azedarach , Trigonella foenum - graecum , andPeganum harmalaonTribolium castaneum(Herbst ) ( Coleoptera : Tenebrionidae ) . Industrial Crops and Products .
