5 plants that naturally repel mosquitoes

Keep those itchy bites at bay - by Rebecca Lowrey Boyd

Now that the weather is starting to warm up, it’s time to think about getting your outdoor space ready for entertaining.

The only problem is that dining alfresco can reduce many of us to a mozzie-bitten itching mess.

Before you reach for a chemical spray, surround yourself with plants that naturally repel mosquitos.

Basil

What’s not to love about basil? Whether you’re making a pesto or a pizza, basil can add a delicious zing to Italian food. Best of all, mosquitos will be repelled by the scent so you can enjoy your meals bite-free.

Peppermint

Research has shown that peppermint oil repels mosquitos. You can easily grow peppermint in a pot. Keep it happy with lots of sun and regular watering. And when it’s not keeping mozzies at bay, you can use the leaves to brew up a pot of refreshing peppermint tea.

Lavender

Mosquitos hate the smell of lavender, so it’s a good excuse to grow it in abundance. Either in a pot or flower bed, lavender loves full sun and needs to be watered once or twice a week.

Catnip

Keep a pot of catnip around. Your furbaby will love it, but mosquitos will not. Catnip loves a lot of sun and well-drained soil, so make sure your pot drains freely and easily.

Lemon Balm

Another fragrant plant, lemon balm will help to keep mozzies at bay. Best contained in a pot, it loves plenty of sun and regular watering.

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Rebecca Lowrey Boyd

Rebecca Lowrey Boyd is a former magazine editor and the founder of Wee Birdy, one of The Sunday Times’ Top 50 Blogs in the World. A design nerd and bird enthusiast, she can usually be found poring over Pinterest, knee-deep in Bunnings or sticky-beaking at modernist homes in Sydney’s bushburbia.