10 plants to grow to keep insects at bay

Those who enjoy gardening have often faced the issue of the unrelenting onslaught of pests and insects. If you have a garden attached to your house, it is often vulnerable to mosquitoes, flies, ants, and other insects which in turn attract lizards. You can use herbal lizard repellent to keep them at bay and avoid their entry into your home. However, pests are more difficult to deal with as they have multiple entries into your house. Although your home seems better with plants, it is essential to know which plants can help you keep the nuisance of pests at bay. Here are some plants that can help you keep your house safe from common pests.

Plants that can keep insects at bay

1. Rosemary – This shrub pairs perfectly with chicken every time you make it and is great for keeping the mosquitoes at bay! A must-have in your herb garden, it has multiple uses, and not to mention it smells great and makes your house smell great too!
2. Marigolds – These are a surprise package and look beautiful wherever they are kept. Marigolds are a part of almost every Indian festival and they repel mosquitoes! They also keep other insects like squash bugs and tomato worms away that can endanger your garden.
3. Tulsi – Tulsi has innumerable advantages when planted in and around your house. There are various varieties of tulsi or basil but the holy basil is most commonly found. Apart from being considered holy, it is extremely good for boosting immunity and keeping away insects from the house. In the olden days, every house has a tulsi plant in front of it and the logical explanation was to ward off any unwanted insects. It is also said to promote prosperity in the house.
4. Lemongrass – Lemongrass is a great addition to your tea every morning. Apart from making it taste good, it can build up your immunity keeping you safe from cold, cough, and fever. This plant contains citronella oil which smells great and is particularly hated by mosquitoes and a lot of other insects. It can withstand drought and high heat but not frost. This is why you need to protect it during winters. The smell of this plant is specially added to herbal ant repellent or other herbal repellents as it is highly effective and has no side effects.
5. Mint – Making a chutney or want fresh mint for adding to the veggies? The best one is plucked right from the plant. Mint has a strong smell and is particularly easy to grow and maintain. It needs constant moisture and little light. It can be grown indoors as well. It makes for a great natural mouth freshener.
6. Garlic – Garlic wards off many insects because of its strong and pungent smell. You can cut up garlic and keep some in areas where you think pests may be entering your home. If you want access to sprigs of garlic, you can plant some in your garden. These can be added to cooking and are extremely easy to grow. You can simply plant a bulb and reap the benefits for a long time.
7. Citronella grass – This plant has citronella oil in the most concentrated form and is quite popular in keeping mosquitoes at bay. If you have a balcony and you want to create a sit out without having the nuisance of mosquitoes, then consider planting a few citronella pots that you can have around the balcony. The oil of this plant is added to candles and incense to create fragrant mosquito relents.
8. Catnip – Catnip is easy to grow and can be an indoor plant too. It keeps insects at bay and has a chemical compound that is extracted and added to insect repellents to make them potent. Catnip if planted and kept at a strategic location can guard your house against many insects.
9. Lavender – Lavender smells absolutely divine and everyone knows that. A small pot in the washrooms and on the balcony can make the whole area smell great. It is a lesser-known fact that lavender can drive away various insects and disallow their entry into your house. The essential oil present in lavender drives away mosquitoes. The plant itself is low maintenance and easy to grow. It is drought resistant which means it will probably be fine if you forget to water it a couple of times. It should be placed in a sunny spot with a good draining system for the soil.
10. Lemon balm – This plant is easy to grow and has a more concentrated taste and smell than mint. It is known to have several medicinal qualities and is used in ayurvedic medicines too. The essence of this plant keeps insects away from it naturally. It is a low-maintenance plant that grows in almost all conditions and can be grown indoors as well. It thrives even with minimal care and is an easy fix for your insect problem.

Every new season, there is a different challenge and newer insects to deal with. These plants will keep you company all year round and are a great natural way to keep insects away from your home.