Imagine having a sudden pang of hunger in the middle of the night. The feeling is so strong that it drags you out of bed, and you go towards the kitchen to help yourself. And as you are moving towards the fridge to grab leftovers from last night, a horrific sight forces you to stop right there. It’s a huge roach crawling across your dining table as if it owns the space!
You run out to get the bug racket, or you run away completely. Of course, you are in no mood to eat anything now.
Do you know what the worst part about having bugs in your house is? The disgust! You feel like they are everywhere, even if there are just a few in the basement cabinet. Not to mention, once they are in a certain corner of your house, the chance that they’ll be everywhere pretty soon is quite high. The only solution is to get rid of them instantly.
Besides instant bug killer techniques, it is vital to have a permanent solution. It should be something that doesn’t allow bugs in your territory in the first place. Fortunately, there are special insect-repelling plants that you can place in your backyard or on the patio. Essential oils in these plants act as a natural bug repeller.
At the same time, green freshens up the outlook of your home and multiple health benefits tag along. Here is a quick rundown of eight best plants that bug the bugs:
- Marigolds
Research reveals that Marigold plant roots produce toxic chemicals that kill harmful nematodes. Of all kinds of this plant, French Marigold is the most effective. It kills bad nematodes and repels the whiteflies. Next in line is the Mexican Marigold. It offends destructive insects as well as the wild rabbits.
All you have to do is to plant these close to your front or back doors. Make sure that the plants are scented properly to work as a repellant.
2. Chrysanthemums
This is one of the popular plants used to fight the bug issue. It deters the cockroaches, bed bugs, Japanese beetles, ants, silverfish, and ticks. It has a neurotoxin called Pyrethrin. It kills the insects but it’s safe for the animals. Many industrial insecticides and Bug Proof sprays use this toxin as an ingredient.
3. Lavender
We all know lavender as a sweet fragrance that’s there in air fresheners and perfumes. However, it would be a revelation for most people out there that insects hate this smell. You can plant these near your windows and doors, so the scent spreads into your home. Or you can place a couple of bouquets around your house. It serves the dual purpose of refreshing the place and repelling the bugs.
4. Lemongrass
Citronella is the oil used in lemongrass. It is also a common ingredient in various mosquito repellants. Along with this, there are citronella torches and candles also available in the market. But the plant performs better at keeping the bugs away because of its powerful smell.
Lemongrass is a common ornamental plant, too. It can reach till four feet with a maximum width of 3 feet. Another property of this plant is that it grows better in a well-drained and sunny location. It works best to keep mosquitos and flies from making their way into your house.
5. Garlic
Popular for its seasoning and health benefits, garlic is one of the plants with exceptional potential to keep bugs away. Placing this plant in and around your garden will ward off all sorts of creepy crawlers. For instant results, you can also prepare garlic water or sprays. The strong odor of these will keep the moles and groundhogs from reaching to the roots.
6. Rosemary
There is always a possibility of bug attack on those vegetable plants that you cherish the most. Rosemary is the plant that you can grow beside them to repel insects and mosquitos. The pungent smell drives away these bugs.
One important feature of this plant is that it does quite well in dry weather and inside the containers. So there is no need to fret about its placement. This property makes Rosemary a plant that works for multiple settings. Hence along with homes, you can easily use them in the offices and institutions. Placing plants will be a wonderful and refreshing addition to the otherwise dull work settings, as discussed in the article “Five Fun Ways to Promote Healthy Living in the Workplace.”
7. Catnip
This plant is a member of the mint family. It contains a chemical known as nepetalactone. Researchers report that this oil brings an odor, which is ten times more effective at repelling insects than DEET (a compound found in commercial insecticides).
Adding to this, you can use essential oils from catnip to make a natural insect-repelling spray. Unlike a few others, these plants are easy to grow, and they reach up to 3 or 4 feet tall. One must be extra careful when going for these plants as they can turn out to be invasive, taking over your garden in no time.
8. Basil
Basil is a herb that also acts as an incredible repellant for houseflies and mosquitos. You can plant it in the containers and place them by the entryways. It has an oil and intense smell that seems to have repellant properties. Having this plant in your house also means you can easily access it for food flavorings.
Final Words
Surround yourself with these plants as much as you can. You can find many other types in the market. It’s always wise to choose the plants according to the properties that work for your setting.
Keep in mind that there are certain basics one must follow if they want to keep the bugs away. It includes steps like having a clean surrounding and getting rid of stagnant water. Then you can proceed to higher protective measures like plantations.
We hope our list has helped you spot the insect deterring plant you were looking for. Let us know if we’ve missed something!
