Herbs that Repel Insects


Shop for Plants That Repel Insects at The Grower’s Exchange

Have a bug problem in your garden? Take care of it naturally with plants that repel insects. The Grower’s Exchange carries many kinds of herbs that have pest-repellent properties.

The practice of growing plants to repel insects is popular among gardeners who would rather not use harsh pesticides. Through companion planting of herbs that repel insects, you can keep your indoor, outdoor, or container-garden free of pests while still being kind to the environment.


What Are Some Plants That Repel Insects?

Many plants have natural pest-repelling properties. Here are some examples:


Peppermint

While best known for being a versatile culinary herb, peppermint is also helpful for keeping bugs out of your garden. Many insects find the strong scent of peppermint unpleasant. What’s more, the potent fragrance of this herb masks the smell of other plants. This makes it difficult for bugs to find their preferred host plant.
Not only does peppermint keep harmful insects like moths, aphids and flea beetles away, it also attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies, which are essential pollinators.
Peppermint is a hardy perennial. It thrives in warm and cool climates alike and it produces new foliage year-round when kept indoors during the colder months.
The growing zones of peppermint are five to 11. For peppermint plants to flourish, they need:
*Full sun to partial shade
*Infrequent watering (water only when the soil seems dry)
*Well-drained soil of average quality and PH


Lemongrass

This plant is a popular culinary herb in Asian, Caribbean and Mexican cuisine. More than that, however, they’re excellent at keeping biting insects like mosquitoes away.
This is because lemongrass contains high concentrations of citral, a compound with a strong, lemony aroma. Many insects dislike the smell and will stay away from gardens planted with lemongrass. Planting lemongrass can help form a protective barrier around your garden, making it less attractive to harmful insects.
Lemongrass is a perennial in zones nine to 11 but may be an annual in colder areas. Here is what a lemongrass plant needs to thrive:
*Full to partial sun
*Adequate watering
*Soil that drains well


Basil

Basil is more than just an herb used in cooking. It’s also an effective natural pest repellant.
This herb’s scent can put off harmful bugs like carrot flies, whiteflies, mosquitoes and asparagus beetles. For greater effectiveness, gently touch your basil plant’s leaves as you garden. Doing so helps release their oils.
Basil is an annual that grows well in nearly every zone. However, it needs the following to flourish:
*Six to eight hours of direct sunlight
*Watering at least once a week or when the soil is dry to the touch
*Well-drained soil, ideally fertilized with well-composted manure


Why Use Plants to Repel Bugs?

You might be wondering why you should choose herbs that repel insects when you could purchase a pesticide instead.
Pesticides work well in getting rid of insects; however, they kill beneficial bugs and not just harmful ones. With pesticides, you risk eliminating pollinators, like bees and butterflies and predators that eat pests, like ladybugs and praying mantids.

What’s more, pesticides may harm pets and people if they breathe in the product, touch it or accidentally ingest it. They may also pollute waterways through water run-off.

Meanwhile, plants that repel insects do so via natural means. Some produce chemical compounds that have intense tastes and smells that insects dislike. Others release chemical compounds into the environment that prevent the growth and development of pests.

By companion planting with herbs, you can repel garden pests without causing harm to the environment, pets and people.