A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Banter Hall Gardener's Chat Get an early start on mosquitos_- plants that help

Here in Texas Mosquitoes are horrible our winter didn't get cold enough to kill them off,, I've been looking around to see what kind of plant help repell them,, if you know of any, please add to the list here,
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Citronella-When you buy citronella, look for the true varieties, Cybopogon nardus or Citronella winterianus. The true citronella plant is a perennial grass similar to Lemon Grass, which it is closely related. It is not the little scented geranium you find in some stores labeled as a "mosquito plant." Other plants may be sold as ‘citronella scented’, but these do not have the mosquito repelling qualities of true citronella. most garden center sell them in pots and you can either tranfer to ground or a decorative pot. No blooms
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Horsemint also known as beebalm - is an adaptable perennial plant which repels mosquitoes much the same as citronella. It gives off a strong incense-like odor which confuses mosquitoes by masking the smell of its usual hosts.
Horsemint/beebalm is a fast growing, shade-tolerant and drought-resistant plant which reaches a height and width of 2 – 3 feet. It does well in dry, sandy soil and can tolerate salty conditions. It's flowers also attract bees and butterflys.[b]
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[b]Marigolds - marigolds are hardy annual plants which have a distinctive smell which mosquitoes, and some gardeners, find particularly offensive. Marigolds contain Pyrethrum, a compound used in many insect repellents.Marigolds prefer full sunlight and reasonably fertile soil. Although marigolds can be planted from seed, starter plants are inexpensive.Besides repelling mosquitoes, marigolds repel insects which prey on tomato plants, so you may want to plant a few marigolds in your tomato bed for added protection.
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Ageratum - Also known as Flossflowers, Ageratum emits a smell which mosquitos find particularly offensive. Ageratum secretes coumarin, which is widely used in commercial mosquito repellents. Ageratum is a low-lying annual ornamental plant which reaches heights of 8 – 18”, and is easily recognized by its blue flowers, although there are varieties with pink, white and violet blooms. This plant will thrive in full or partial sun and does not require rich soil. It is often displayed in rock gardens where low-lying plants are placed.

Although the leaves of Ageratum can be crushed to increase the emitted odor, it is not advisable to rub the crushed leaves directly on the skin.
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Catnip - Catnip is a natural mosquito repellent. Recent studies have proven catnip is ten times more effective than DEET, the chemical found in most commercial insect repellents. This perennial herb is related to mint, and grows quick
.While catnip will repel mosquitoes in close proximity to the plant, some people apply crushed catnip leaves or catnip oil for more protection. Bear in mind, however, that cats will respond to you similarly as they would respond to the plant itself . Cat owners may want to choose an alternative plant for repelling mosquitoes.
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rosemary, basil, lavender, < my grandson just told me of these three,, he said he learned that in his science class

What an informative post, Diane - thanks!

I have found, that with many of these plants, one has to rub the leaves between fingers for them to release the scent that keeps the bugs away, as you wrote about the catnip. :wink: Do you have most of these? I'd be interested in seeing how they work for you. I usually plant marigolds and ageratum as they are annuals here, and have catnip and bee balm growing as perennials.

By the way... my cats do not have any reaction whatsoever to real catnip, and only 1 or 2 like it dried. They are so finicky!

I have the marigolds,, I wish I had bee balm I can't find it here not even seeds
The stores here sale the non flowering lemon scented Citronella plant but not the real thing,, I've asked and they didn't even know what the true
Citronella plant was.
I've used marigolds and basil around roses to help control aphids, which truly helped we'll see about the plants for mosquitoes.

They sell Bee Balm here but it won't overwinter for me.

I will have to order it on line I guess,, strange how I can't even find seeds here,,

I've never seen the seeds either...wish I could ship plants cross border.

That is informative - thanks for posting that.

Bugs just don't like lemon . . . sprinkle some peels under your plants - spray it on yourself - that works for me.

if you can't find any bee balm let me know & I will look for it--I BOUGHT SOME A FEW YEARS AGO--& SORRY BUT IT HAS SINCE DIED OUT (sorry for the caps)