If you are a serious gardener, you spend lots of time outdoors. And, for sure, you would rather be tending your plants than swatting mosquitoes.

While there are many things you can do to keep mosquitoes away, there are some plants that will beautify your yard and help repel mosquitoes.

As one more way to keep mosquitoes away from you and your yard, try planting these attractive plants.

HORSEMINT

Horsemint has a scent similar to citronella. Horsemint grows wild in most of the Eastern United States, from Mexico, Texas up to Minnesota to Vermont. It is partial to sandy soils and will grow in USDA Zones 5-10. Native Americans used it as a treatment for colds and flu. It has natural fungicidal and bacterial retardant properties because it’s essential oils are high in thymol.

ROSEMARY

This wonderful herb we use for seasoning is also a great, natural mosquito repellant. It has been used for centuries to keep pesky mosquitoes away. Rosemary is a native of the Mediterranean, so it likes hot, dry weather and well-drained soil. It is hardy in USDA zones 8-10, and must be grown as a pot plant in colder climates. If you happen to live in a part of the country where rosemary does not grow, you can get a good quality rosemary essential oil; mix 4 drops with cup olive oil. Store in a cool, dry place. When it comes to fresh plant oils as natural mosquito repellants, there is every reason to have the plant in your yard, if they will grow in your area. It is an inexpensive and attractive way to boost the appearance of the landscape and have natural mosquito repellants on hand as well.

MARIGOLDS

Organic gardeners have used marigolds as companion plants to keep aphids away. Mosquitoes dont like its scent any better (and some humans feel the same way). Marigolds are sun-loving annuals that come in a variety of shapes and sizes for almost any landscape. They are quite easy to grow from seed.

AGERATUM

This charming little bedding plant contains coumarin, and mosquitoes detest the smell. It is used in the perfume industry and is even in some commercial mosquito repellants. Dont rub ageratum on your skin, though. It has some other less desirable elements that you dont want to keep on your skin in quantity. Ageratums are annuals, and the come in a muted blue and white that compliments most other plantings.

MOSQUITO PLANTS

There are two types of plants that are called mosquito plants. One is a member of the geranium family that was genetically engineered to incorporate the properties of citronella. Citronella only grows in tropical places, but it is a well known repellant for mosquitoes. This plant was created to bring the repellant properties of citronella into a hardier plant. It will grow where any geranium will thrive. Many have questioned its usefulness as a mosquito repellant, but it is attractive enough to warrant planting for its ornamental value.

The other kind of mosquito plant is agastache cana. Its common names include Texas hummingbird mint, bubblegum mint, giant hyssop, or giant hummingbird mint. As you might guess, hummingbirds are quite attracted to it.

It is a New Mexico native, also found in parts of Texas. It is, in fact, a member of the mint family and its leaves do have a pungent aroma when crushed. In its native habitat, it is perennial, and is usually hardy in USDA Zones 5a-9a. It blooms late summer to early fall, so it catches hummingbirds on their annual migration. The long, medium pink flowers reel in butterflies as well.

CATNIP

One of the most powerful mosquito repellant plants is ordinary catnip. Recent studies have shown that it is ten times more effective than DEET at repelling mosquitoes. It is a short lived perennial throughout most of the United States. It is easy to grow from seed, and quickly reseeds. Aside from its intoxicating effects on cats, the leaves make a very soothing tea.

With all of these plants, the leaves must be crushed to release the aroma. Otherwise mosquitoes cant smell them. And, with rosemary and catnip, you can simply crush a few leaves and rub on your skin and clothing to enhance the effect.

So, next time you are revising your plantings, consider using some of these attractive plants to do more than just enhance the landscape. You can have pretty ornamentals that also drive mosquitoes away.

About The Author

Scottie Johnson is a life long mosquito warrior and freelance writer dedicated to eliminating mosquitoes from her life. She is also an organic gardener. For more information about mosquito control in your home and yard, visit her website at http://www.mosquito-kill-net.com. Copyright 2004 All rights reserved. Copies of this article may be used on websites and in e-zines provided the resource biography and URL are not removed prior to reproduction.

info@mosquito-kill-net.com

Gardening indoors includes houseplants and plants that are just indoors for the winter.The heat and light indoors calls for special care of your houseplants and over wintering of tender garden plants. There are other problems which need consideration including salt build-up, humidity, drafts, pests, how you water your plants and what to do if they get pot bound.

The best thing you can do for your indoor plants is to learn something about the growing conditions your particular plants like and provide as close to those conditions as possible.If you see a problem developing, take action quickly.

Houseplant Problems

Becoming Pot Bound

Sooner or later a healthy, growing houseplant is going to out grow its pot. When a plant gets too large for its pot, the roots circle around inside the pot and start to restrict themselves. If your plants seem to dry out more quickly than they used to, but are otherwise healthy, they are probably pot bound. There are simply too many roots in the pot and not enough soil is left to hold and distribute water. Re-pot your houseplant into a pot an inch or two larger. Don’t try to go too large, as too much soil means the roots will be sitting in damp conditions and the roots will begin to rot.

Pests

Indoor pests multiply quickly. There are no natural predators to keep them in check, so checking frequently for symptoms. Spider mites, aphids, mealy bugs and scale can cover a plant in days. If severe enough, the plant may never recover. Keep an eye out for leaves that become discoloured or curled and for plants that look limp even when they’re watered. Learn to spot the following common houseplant pests.

Spider Mites leave telltale webbing, especially on the inner joints of plants and in plants with lush foliage. The tiny mites are about the size of a pinhead and attack plants by sucking their juices. Leaves will have yellow stippling. As the infestation gets worse, the leaves will turn totally yellow and brittle and die. To get rid of spider mites, spray the affected plants with insecticidal soap.

Mealy Bugs are small cottony white blobs, usually attached to the plant at the stem joints, but they may also be found along the stems. They feed off the plants by sucking. Plants infested with mealy bugs often look like they are drying out, even when they’ve been watered. Mealy bugs are very hard to get rid of. If you catch the problem early, cut out the infested branches. If your plants become severely infested, it would be best to just get rid of them.

Scales are small insects that attach themselves to the stem of a plant and cover themselves with a hard, oval shaped shell. Like mealy bugs, they slowly suck the sap from plants, leaving them weak. They are very hard to get rid of so it is probably best to replace the plant.

Aphids look like small green, white, yellow or black spots that can surface on all parts of a plant. Aphids can reproduce so quickly that an infestation will cover the plant in days. They are soft bodied insects and can be killed quite easily by a strong blast of water or repeated sprays of insecticidal soap. But they are persistent so you will need to keep an eye on these plants and treat regularly.

Heat

Many gardeners think they are doing their houseplants a favour by placing them in a warm spot, but placing your indoor plants near a direct source of heat, like a radiator, will dehydrate the plant very quickly. Even if you are careful about watering the soil, the foliage will quickly become dehydrated.

Drafts

Placing an indoor plant, especially a tropical or blooming plant, near a frequently opened door to the outside or too close to a window with limited insulation will have the same effect as leaving the plant unprotected outside. You will probably first notice leaves dropping and the plant may look like it needs water, when actually it needs warmth.

Light

Plants that are not getting as much light as they need will look pale, rather than a healthy green and new growth is spindly, as it reaches for the sun. You may also notice that the new leaves are smaller than usual. However, most houseplants don’t like to be placed in the direct sun of a windowsill. Strong sunlight may actually burn their leaves. Only plants that specify bright, direct sun, like Cyclamen, gardenia, geranium and other indoor plants grown for their flowers, should be sited in a south facing window. Low light plants, like Philodendron, will be fine placed further in a room where indirect sunlight reaches. Those in between are the houseplants you’ll need to keep watch on. East and west facing windows are fine for most plants, but if your home lets in a lot of light, you may be able to grow houseplants well away from the windows.

Humidity

Lack of humidity can kill indoor plants. You may first notice this as browning leaf tips before the leaves die and drop. If your house tends to be dry, you can increase humidity around your houseplants by placing a tray of pebbles under the pots, filling the tray to just below the pot’s bottom. Do not let your plants sit directly in the water. You can also provide some humidity by misting your plants each day. If you have lots of houseplants, you may want to invest in a humidifier.

Salt Build-up

Water your potted plants with enough water so the soil gets wet and is allowed to drain through. Not watering enough can lead to salt build-up which can inhibit growth. You may not notice it until you start to see whitish crust on the soil or sides of the pot. At least once a month, water your potted plants thoroughly, so that excess salts will be flushed out the drainage hole of the pot.

Watering

The number one killer of houseplants is over watering, which leads to root rot. Plants take in air through their roots and if the soil is constantly wet, they can’t do this. Instead you’ll be encouraging root rot, which can kill a houseplant. Don’t let your plants sit in water and don’t automatically water all your houseplants on a schedule. Check to see if the soil about 1 below the surface is dry, before you water. When you do water, water thoroughly. Water until you see the water coming out the bottom drainage holes. It will also help if you use a light potting soil instead of garden soil, which tends to be heavy and doesn’t allow water to drain through.

Over-wintering Tender Plants

Outdoor plants can be brought indoors as houseplants for the winter. However there are some points to remember:

Keep only healthy plants

If something has been struggling all summer under the best of conditions, it is not going to improve indoors.

Never bring in a plant with pests or disease

Problems spread more quickly among indoor plants than in the garden.

If the plant looks good as a house plant, bring it in and use it as one

Many people have the light to successfully winter geraniums and begonias in full bloom.

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Customer Reviews

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