Do you love being outside in the warmer months but wish for a bug-free backyard? These five plants are natural insect repellents that send insects a clear message to buzz off.
With summer fast approaching, your backyard is finally shrugging off the last dregs of winter. The pond is trickling, flowers are bursting with color, and your outdoor living space has never looked more inviting—especially to bugs.
After spending multiple weekends designing your backyard, shopping for new patio furniture, and installing outdoor flooring, the last thing you want is to be chased out of your own space by insects. Fortunately, a simple solution doesn’t involve chemical bug spray.
Certain plants can serve as an amazingly effective natural mosquito repellent and deter bugs from ruining the vibe of your outdoor oasis. With the following plants in your backyard, you can keep bugs at bay and get back to throwing a festive outdoor deck party.
Why Use Natural Mosquito Repellent?
Take your deck or patio back from those invaders–bugs!
Chemical bug sprays make many homeowners understandably nervous. According to a 2019 study published in BMC Public Health, researchers found that “bug bombs” were ineffective and left behind toxic insecticide residues such as diethyltoluamide (DEET) that could potentially pose a risk to both people and pets.
Although the CDC has stated that DEET is safe when you apply it correctly, the ingredient causes much controversy. A few studies have found an association between DEET and cancer, including a 1998 study published in the International Journal of Oncology, which found an increased risk of testicular cancer in men who used DEET for more than 115 days.
If you’re one of the many homeowners who feel uncomfortable using chemicals to deter bugs, why not use plants as a natural mosquito repellent instead? As we’ll discuss below, several plant species give off a scent that many bugs simply can’t stand.
5 Natural Insect Repellents: Plants to Help Achieve a Bug-free Backyard
There is one caveat to these natural bug repellents before we get too far into the powers of bug-fighting plants. Not all plants work to repel bugs in the same way.
While some can deter bugs from their scent alone, others require you to take the leaves and apply them to your body. With that caveat in mind, here are the top bug-fighting plants to deter bugs:
1 – Lavender
Grow lavender for many uses: food seasoning, herbal tea, aromatherapy, and now–to make a bug-free backyard!
While the heavy scent of lavender is often pleasing to humans, it tends to drive several bug species away. According to a 2018 study published in Fashion and Textiles, researchers found that adding lavender oil to cotton clothing reduced the total number of insects biting on subjects.
Lavender has a bitter tinge to its scent, which may play a role in its natural mosquito repellent tendencies. It may also be that the scent is so strong that it can mask the human scent, which makes it difficult for bugs to pick up scents with their antennae.
2 – Marigolds
Marigolds offer you a classic annual with a natural insect repellent fragrance.
There are several varieties of marigold which can potentially serve as natural insect repellents. French marigolds are easy to grow, easier to maintain, and may repel whiteflies and mosquitoes and nematode worms. Mexican marigolds are also believed to repel an array of insects with their aromatic scent.
Although they may not be a sure-fire way to repel insects, both marigold varieties can brighten up your backyard and provide a pleasant aroma. For healthy growth, be sure to plant them in outside containers in a spot that receives ample sunlight.
3 – Citronella
Citronella plants grace your backyard with lush greenery and serve as a natural mosquito repellent.
An easy-to-grow option, Citronella is perhaps best known for its insect-repellent qualities. Citronella candles are commonly purchased as functional décor for backyard patios in the hopes of deterring mosquitoes.
Planting the citronella plant in your backyard won’t be enough to deter insects. To use citronella properly, take a few leaves off and rub them on exposed areas of your body. While we can’t guarantee that you won’t get bitten, it can potentially help reduce the number of times you do.
4 – Petunias
Choose petunias in various colors to suit your style and for their natural insect repellent properties.
Fragrant and beautiful, petunias come in a wide variety of colors and are a welcome addition to any landscape. They’re perfect for planting in containers, window boxes, or your paver pathway to highlight your outdoor flooring.
Petunias may help repel aphids, whiteflies, hornworms, and squash bugs. The only downside to this lovely annual is that it may attract caterpillars, slugs, and other pests.
5 – Chrysanthemums
Extend the natural insect repellent into the fall months by adding chrysanthemum to your garden. These flowers bloom long after some of your others have finished their show of color.
A member of the daisy family, chrysanthemums will infuse your backyard with bright pops of color while keeping bugs at bay. This beautiful flower contains pyrethrum, a naturally occurring chemical that can repel several types of bugs, including roaches, ants, fleas, and ticks, and nematode worms.
One of the more common chrysanthemums that contain pyrethrum includes single chrysanthemums, distinguished by their rows of daisy-like petals. No matter which variety you choose to plant, keep in mind that the natural chemicals in chrysanthemums are considered toxic to pets and people when they are ingested.
Don’t care to grow a garden? Consider purchasing essential oils to make your natural insect repellents.
Additional Bug-Fighting Herbs
Who doesn’t love picking fresh herbs straight from the garden? You can keep your backyard bug-free by growing the following herbs while getting a few delicious meals out of the deal.
- Mint – Mint, especially peppermint, is a handy herb that can deter mosquitoes, ants, moths, and flies. It can also discourage outdoor pets, keeping them away from your precious herb garden without causing them harm.
- Basil – Basil is an attractive herb with a strong aroma that deters mosquitoes and flies. Plant basil in a sunny spot so it can thrive. However, plan to bring it inside during the colder months.
- Garlic – The heavy scent of garlic repels not only mosquitoes but snakes as well. It’s also easy to grow and can give your dishes a delicious flavor that you won’t achieve with garlic from a supermarket.
- Rosemary – Rosemary is a beautiful plant and a useful herb to have on hand. Its pungent scent often drives away mosquitoes, flies, and moths.
Consider making a vertical wall garden out of these herbs for a fun backyard idea. Wall gardens are ideal for small spaces and can instantly add style of any outdoor living space.
Fight Bugs Naturally with Natural Insect Repellents
If you don’t want to douse your entire backyard in toxic chemicals, these plants may be a better solution for keeping bugs at bay. While we cannot guarantee you’ll drive out every insect from your yard, they can minimize the presence of these pests.
Besides, what have you got to lose? Even if they don’t work as well as you would have hoped as natural insect repellents, you’ll still benefit in the end with colorful blooms and useful herbs.
She has a B.S.Ed. in Secondary Education/English and a Spanish Minor. In addition, she holds a Certificates in Natural Health and Herbology from accredited programs. She pursued these natural wellness certifications due to her love for herb gardening.
Despite freelancing to make a living, her love is "all things home."
Deborah grew up in a family that grew a large vegetable garden and a fruit orchard, helping her parents pull weeds and can home-grown foods as part of her childhood. In fact, she had no idea that she could purchase veggies and fruits in pre-packed steel cans until she went to college and made a food run.
Today, she lives in Bertie County, North Carolina, an agricultural rural area with more chickens than people. She lives with her husband and two rescue pets a sweet toy fox terrier and a cat who showed up one day and moved into the house. Together, they enjoy DIY projects, furniture refinishing, gardening, and canning.
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