Certain aspects of your garden can take care of themselves, which can make your gardening workload a little lighter. One way to make gardening easier is by having plants that repel insects. Some plants contain properties that repel harmful insects. These plants provide both beauty and functionality to your garden. Also, they are a natural way to fight off some of the invading pests, without having to spray them with insecticides.
You may want to plant insect repelling plants on their own or try companion planting. Companion planting is planting different plants close to each other to enhance each other’s growth and protect each other from insects and other pests. There are many different combinations of plants that can be used for companion planting, as well as just repelling insects from themselves. Below are some plants that repel insects that you could try in your garden.
Catnip
This plant can keep almost any pest away besides your cat. It can deter a whole range of harmful insects such as aphids, Japanese beetles, squash bugs, weevils, cockroaches, ants, and flea beetles.
Dill
Dill makes for a great companion plant in your vegetable garden. It repels insects away from cucumbers, onions, and lettuce. Tomato hornworms are attracted to dill, so if planted at a far enough distance, it can detract these harmful insects away from your tomato plants.
Garlic
Garlic is known for its taste and health benefits, but it also repels many pesky insects. It can be planted near roses to repel aphids. Also, it can ward off root maggots, Japanese beetles, codling moths, snails and carrot root flies.
Lavender
Lavender is beautiful and smells amazing. Aside from these properties, it is a great repellant of moths, fleas, and flies. Plant it in the yard to keep these pests away from your garden, or plant them in pots by windows and doorways to keep them from entering your home.
Marigolds
Marigolds are a versatile plant that make great companion plants, as well as repel mosquitos on their own. French marigolds repel whiteflies and kill nematodes, while Mexican marigolds offend many insects including aphids and cabbage maggots.
Mint
Mint is usually grown in the garden for its flavoring aspects, but it is also a great mosquito repellant. All species of mint contain aromatic properties that are offensive to these insects. This scent is contained in the stems, leaves, and flower of the plant, and is released when it is brushed up against or crushed.
Sunflower
Not only are sunflowers bright and beautiful, but they also make a great companion plant. They draw away aphids from many other plants. They are a popular plant for ant colonies, but they are a tough enough plant to withstand them.
If you’re looking to get rid of insects from ruining your garden try planting some of these plants. Every garden is different, though. It is important to experiment with different plants to find out which ones work best for your insect repellant needs.
If your garden is in need of some renovating or professional pest control, then Greener Horizon can help. Our professionals will work with you to figure out what plant installations and insect control your yard may need. Contact us today for a free landscape consultation.
