5 Herbs That Repel Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are among the peskiest nuisances in a household. They bite insidiously, carry diseases, ruin your relaxation time and are slightly difficult to kill (and messy, if you decide to squash them with your bare hands). Mosquito bites leave nasty and itchy red marks on your skin which you will likely end up scratching, thereby irritating the affected area.

If a part of your house is densely populated by mosquitoes, you can try using mosquito coils. However, the smoke from the coils produce a sulfuric odor that can be bad for your health. Mosquito repellent creams is a viable alternative, yet some people develop allergies to them.

The best solution would be to keep mosquito-repelling herbs around the house. These add décor and fragrance to your household while keeping those extremely irritating mosquitoes at bay. Why not have kitchen condiments, aroma and insect repellent all in one solution? It is very possible, as the following five herbs provide exactly that:

Basil

Basil emits its aroma without crushing the leaves, so you can grow basil in pots and put them in your backyard to control mosquitoes. To keep the mosquitoes away from your body, rub a handful of crushed basil leaves on your skin. Any variety of basil can repel mosquitoes but it is advisable to use lemon basil cinnamon basil and Peruvian basil since they have the strongest fragrances.

Catnip

Besides being an eccentric choice for cat lovers due to its ability to put our feline pets in a euphoric state, catnip has the ability to repel mosquitoes as a member of the mint family. Simply grow catnip near the backyard or patio of your house. Cats love the aroma of catnip put catnip leaves around your household for them to crush and eat, thereby releasing its fragrance to ward off mosquitoes. You can also crush fresh leaves then rub it all around your skin.

Lavender

Valued for its flowers and its fragrance, lavender makes an excellent mosquito repellant. The lavender plant is fairly easy to grow as it needs less care. To make a chemical-free mosquito solution, just mix lavender essential oil in water and apply directly on your skin. To control mosquitoes, keep the lavender plant pots around seating areas on your patio, backyard and garden. You can ensure yourself of blissful evenings.

Lemon Balm

Lemon balm also keeps the mosquitoes at bay as its leaves contain citronella compounds in large amounts. The citronella plant is popularly used in commercial mosquito repellants and there is up to 38% citronella content in some varieties of lemon balm. You can grow lemon balm in your garden and allow them to proliferate, leaving less room for mosquitoes to thrive. To keep mosquitoes at bay, you can also rub crushed lemon balm leaves on your skin.

Rosemary

The rosemary herb contains an essential oil which acts as a natural mosquito repellent. Grow rosemary in pots then shift it indoors in winter, since the plant does not tolerate long periods of cold climate. To control mosquitoes in warmer months, place rosemary plant pots in the yard. To make a skin-friendly rosemary mosquito repellant, mix 4 drops of rosemary essential oil and ¼ cup of olive oil and store it in a cool & dry place. Apply as needed on your skin.