10 Plants That Repel Insects

Admin/ July 23, 2023/ Gardening, Homesteading/ 1 comments

If you are starting up homesteading or gardening for the first time, or if you are a long term veteran, there is one fiend that will consistently plague your plants – pests!

Insects of all shapes and sizes will worm their way into your garden, your flowers, your herbs or your veggies. It’s like an apocalypse! Hopefully that is the only apocalypse we have to face on the horizon – since this is one horror show that we can deal with!

There are quite a few different plants that you can make use of that are natural insect and pest repellents! So, without any more chit-chat, let’s have a good look at 10 plants that will help keep those tiny teeth off your garden!

The Plants

1 – Lavender

Most people will have come across the scent of lavender before, and its generally relaxing qualities – it is often used to help people calm down, or even fall asleep! But did you know that its pleasant aroma is actually repellent to many insects? It has a strong effect on moths, flies, fleas, and even mosquitos!

2 – Basil

A staple in many homemade dishes, basil is a herb well worth having in your garden, or potted on your windowsills. In addition to its flavoursome qualities, basil carries enough of a scent naturally to keep some insects at bay! It is particularly effective against mosquitos and flies.

3 – Lemongrass

If you have ever seen Citronella in your mosquito repellent – this is where that comes from! Loving particularly hot weather, you may struggle to grow this plant year-round in many places, having more luck annually. It also doubles up as a useful herb in the kitchen!

4 – Mint

Another natural mosquito repellent, keeping pots of mint dotted around will help to keep those pesky bloodsuckers away from your home. We say pots, because this plant likes to grow wildly, and will easily overtake your whole garden if you allow it!

5 – Catnip

From the Mint family, this plant has a range of usefulness. Growing around 3-4 feet tall, this plant is an attraction to what the name suggests – Cats! On the flip side, it is quite effective at repelling mosquitos, flies, ticks, and cockroaches! It is also fairly easy to grow, and sprouts small lavender-like flowers. However, like many others of its kind, it will happily invade your entire garden.

6 – Chrysanthemums

If you are looking for a plant that should keep away just about every insect – whether you want them all gone or not – these are the ones for you. Chrysanthemums, or Mums, produce Pyrethrum, which is a main ingredient in many insecticides. This makes it ideal as a global insect repellent, however it is also very toxic to birds, cats, dogs, and in high enough doses even people!

7 – Chives

Chives are the worlds smallest edible onion. Growing around 50cm high, these feathery flowers are a very popular herb in the cooking world. But, in addition to its culinary charms, the Chive has yet another skill – it naturally repels a few types of insect, namely Aphids, Japanese Beetles and Carrot Flies. Though be careful, as Chives can be toxic to Cats and Dogs in high enough doses.

8 – Mugwort

Mugwort has worked its way over the world, and has brought its benefits to countless kitchens – through its flavour, and bitter effects. Whilst it may be best known for its use in Absinthe Distillation, it also has a powerful effect on Mosquitoes, Moths, Flies, and even Mice! Turned into an essential oil, you can gain all of these benefits, but you can also get some good use of it out of drying out and bagging some of the herb, and hanging it around your doorways and windows. Be warned, however – Mugwort is toxic to dogs!

9 – Fennel

Once upon a time, Fennel was planted in honour of the Gods of Ancient Greece. From Shrines, to Wreaths, to holy places, this was widely used in creating places of worship. Since then it has been discovered to have many uses – in food, for medicinal purposes, but mainly for us as an insect repellent! Because of its essential oils, Fennel is an expert in deterring Snails, Slugs and Aphids! For a change, these plants can actually be beneficial for your pets! Cats and Dogs can find it helps with indigestion!

10 – Marigolds

Finally, we have Marigolds – a beautiful flower that can repel Mosquitoes, Aphids, Nematodes (Plant Lice), and even Rabbits! No matter the colour of Marigold that you prefer, they all carry the same properties, so you can mix and match to your hearts content! As far as your Pets are concerned, dogs and cats shouldn’t find too much trouble with these flowers, however if they do chow down on larger quantities – then expect them to suffer varying degrees of upset stomachs!

Other Places To Read About Plants!

We had a look around, and found a few more sites talking about the same kinds of things! So if you want to see what THEY have to add to the list, why not check them out!

Final Thoughts

There you have it! 10 plants that repel insects! Keep an eye out for more articles like this one being added to our website in the future – and get stuck in with improving the safety of your garden!

With all of that said, if you have enjoyed reading this article, you should absolutely check out some of our other articles! We have things on the Easiest Veg to Grow, or if you would rather know Which Cheeses Require Rennet, we have that too!

Thanks for taking the time to support us, and we hope to see you in the next post!

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1 Comment

  1. Even though I’m allergic to it (mildly) I’m going to surround the ouside of the house where their bedrooms are with Lavender.

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