Pesky mosquitos can dampen the most festive of summer garden parties! In today's post, we're sharing several plants you can add to your porch or deck that naturally deter mosquitoes. You may still need to use other means, depending on how "mosquito-friendly" these pests consider your yard to be. These 7 plants will definitely help keep them at bay this summer. And many of these plants you can enjoy in your summer dishes, as well!
Basil: pests in general don't like the pungent smell of Basil. Any type of Basil works to help deter mosquitoes. Feel free to add Basil to your flower pots on your deck! Basil loves full sun and likes moist, well-draining soil.
Bee Balm: attract pollinators like bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies, while deterring mosquitoes! Bee Balm is a perennial that adds such a punch of fun and color to a perennial bed! Add it near your porch in full sun and enjoy its color all summer long... and the fact that it helps keep those pesky 'skeeters away.
Citronella: an annual in our area that you can use in flower pots near where you sit on your patio. It has a lemony scent that mosquitoes detest. An added bonus- you can pluck off a leaf on an especially "buggy" evening, rub the leaf on your skin, and it acts as a natural bug repellent (and smells like lemon!).
Lavender: who doesn't love lavender?! It's lovely, calming scent may smell heavenly to us, but again, like Basil, the pungent smell makes mosquitos fly the other direction. Lavender likes full sun and doesn't like having wet roots. It can be a little tricky to grow sometimes, but once established, does very well. It can be planted directly in the ground in a sunny spot.
Lemon grass: a lovely herb you can use in many dishes, lemon grass smells strongly of lemon and therefore deters mosquitoes.
Marigold: these pretty little annual flowers are known to keep deer and rabbits away. They also deter mosquitoes! They have a strong scent that certain animals and insects pick up on right away, and they hate it. Plant these pretties in full sun and add them as a perimeter around your vegetable garden to keep rabbits and deer away from your fresh food.
Rosemary: this woody-scented plant keeps mosquitoes, as well as certain moths and flies away. They thrive in container pots and love humid, hot environments (perfect for our Middle TN summers!). It is also delicious in many summer dishes.