Gardening Sweet Spots
By Donna Hessel
It seems like mosquitoes are more prevalent some summers than others. While we can’t predict what the coming summer will be like, you can take steps now while you’re planning your gardens and containers to include plants that keep mosquitoes at bay.
Perhaps you’ve heard of the “mosquito plant” or seen them for sale in local garden centers. The mosquito plant is actually one member of the family of scented geraniums – the “Citrosa” variety. And reminiscent of its cultivar name, the oil in its leaves have a citronella scent, which keeps mosquitoes away. However, in order for it to be effective, the leaves have to be brushed frequently to release the oils. If you include this plant in containers around your patio or deck, you can clip some of the leaves and scatter them so the oils are released when you walk on them. Or, burn some cuttings on the grill as you prepare a meal for your guests.
Lemon-scented plants will also repel mosquitoes. Try including lemon thyme in your herb garden or container. The variegated leaves provide a nice accent; it is also a tasty herb to use in chicken dishes. Lemon balm grows freely in gardens and has a lemony fragrance when you just walk close to it or brush up against the leaves. Steeped leaves also make a great summer tea. My lemon balm grows as well in partial shade as in the sun. Lemon verbena is a tender shrub with an intense lemon scent. The flavor with slight notes of mint and camphor enhances baked goods. Lemon grass, a six-foot tall tender perennial grass, would work well as a container accent. It commonly flavors Thai recipes.
Other strongly scented plants can mask your human scent, making you a less obvious mosquito target. Try including rosemary, lavender, lantana, eucalyptus, basil or peppermint plants close to patio or deck areas. The essential oil nepetalactone in catnip (Nepeta cataria) also repels mosquitoes and flies. Catnip (not catmint) attracts pollinators as well, and is often planted in cottage gardens. Floss flowers have fuzzy blue, pink or purple blossoms and contain coumarin, a chemical often used in commercial pesticides. Marigolds are easy to grow and will keep mosquitoes as well as other bugs away from your tomato plants.
Mosquitoes prefer the cover of brush and yard debris, so keeping grass cut and piles of sticks, branches or leaves cleared will encourage them to find more favorable haunts than your yard. It goes without saying that standing water should be drained or changed at least weekly. Shallow water is a breeding place for mosquitoes and new batches can hatch in as few as four days. Common sources of standing water are your birdbath, clogged gutters, saucers under pots, wheelbarrows, trash can lids, or folds in grill covers and fountains. Check these especially after a rain. If you have a pond or a still water feature, look for organic larvae control products containing bacillus.
If your go-to solution to being bitten has been a commercial repellent spray, you might want to try this recipe for a DIY solution made with natural ingredients. It contains a blend of citrus, cinnamon and castor oils known for being unappealing to mosquitoes (as well as other bothersome insects including ticks). The recipe follows. Please be sure to use the exact measurements so the solution is safe as well as effective.
DIY Mosquito Wipes
Supplies needed:
- Roll of cloth-like paper towels
- Serrated knife
- Round container with lid large enough to hold half of a paper towel roll
- Marker (optional)
- Scissors
- Small mixing bowl
- Liquid measuring cup and measuring spoons
- 4 ounces distilled water
- 2 ounces rubbing alcohol
- 2 ounces castor oil
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 15 drops cinnamon oil
- Mixing spoon
Step 1: Cut the paper towel roll in half. Cut the roll of paper towels crosswise so they’ll fit in a sealable container. Make sure the cut pieces will fit inside your container(s). Trim away any rough edges with scissors and pull the cardboard tube out of the center of the roll.
Step 2: Mix homemade mosquito repellent. In a small bowl, combine distilled water rubbing alcohol, castor oil, lemon juice and cinnamon oil. Mix with a spoon to combine.
Step 3: Let paper towels soak up the mixture. Pour the mixture into your container. Then set the paper towels in the container so they can soak up the repellent. Let them sit for at least 10 minutes before using to give the wipes time to become saturated with the mixture. Then use the wipes whenever you want to repel bugs by pulling one from the center of the roll and rubbing it on your skin. Be careful to avoid your eyes when using. A container that seals will prevent the wipes from drying out. You can always refresh your wipes by mixing up more DIY repellent and letting the towels soak in it.
Trying this repellent is definitely on my “to do” gardening list this year. Although mosquitoes have not been much of a problem in my yard, there is a tiny black fly that inhabits my borders that bites and leaves a welt that itches and takes a week or so to fade away. I’m hoping this natural solution will repel them better than the commercial spray I’ve had to resort to previously.
I hope these remedies will keep you from being “bugged by mosquitoes” this summer, too.
Photo courtesy pexels.com
