My garden is my sanctuary from the busy streets of Thailand just on the other side of the house. After a hectic day in the markets I return to my garden to escape from the sights, sounds and, indeed, smells of this northern Thai city. There’s just one problem: mosquitoes.
My home town of Chiang Mai is, unfortunately, also home to millions upon millions of annoying mosquitoes, and every day is a constant battle to avoid being served up as lunch to these pesky insects. Apart from a well-stocked supply of natural mosquito repellent I have one more weapon to aid me in my fight: mosquito repellent plants.
If you look at the list of ingredients on an bottle of natural mosquito repellent you’ll see that the active ingredients are almost exclusively based on compounds from the kinds of plants you can find growing in any domestic garden. Mosquito repellent plants keep my garden free of winged nasties, and they can do the same for you.
Mosquito Repellent Plants
Citronella grass (Lemon grass)
Citronella oil is widely used as a natural mosquito repellent as a non-toxic biopesticide. The oil itself doesn’t kill mosquitoes but merely deters them, and a few areas of citronella around my garden do a great job of keeping away the pests.
Catnip
Research suggests that nepetalactone, the essential oil found in catnip, is many time more effective than DEET as a mosquito repellent. It isn’t understood why nepetalactone is such an effective repellent, but studies have continued to show that it is ten times more effective than an equivalent concentration of DEET.
Marigold
Marigolds have long been used by gardeners to repel aphids, but it has recently been discovered that they are also powerful mosquito repellent plants. Mosquitoes seem to despise the smell of marigolds, so a few patches dotted around the garden will do the trick.
Other Mosquito Repellent Plants
Other plants that repel mosquitoes include:
- Peppermint
- Rosemary
- Garlic
- Eucalyptus
- Tea Tree
Tips for Mosquito Repellent Plants
To successfully rid your garden of biting critters it isn’t enough to simply add a few mosquito repellent plants. If only it were so simple. Unfortunately, you have to release the essential oils from within the plants for them to have the desired effect. The simplest way to do this is by crushing the leaves.
When you head out into your garden you should pluck a couple of leaves from your mosquito repellent plants, crush them between your fingers and rub the oil on your skin and clothing. This should offer enough protection for a couple of hours of mosquito-free enjoyment.
You should also consider the placement of your mosquito repellent plants to offer the greatest level of protection for your garden. Plants should be placed out of the wind, ideally in the lee of a wall or fence, to prevent the oils released by the plants from dispersing too quickly.
You should also place mosquito repellent plants around outdoor seating areas. Mosquitoes love to lurk in the calm air underneath patio furniture where they can attack unsuspecting ankles.
Mosquitoes can breed in just a fraction of an inch of standing water, so you should ensure that your garden is free of breeding opportunities. If you must use a sprinkler system you should make sure that it doesn’t leave a layer of water anywhere in your garden. You should also remove bird baths, and add a water pump to any ponds to keep the water moving.