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6 Plants that Keep the Bugs Away

With spring in the air, many of us are starting to think about our gardens and what we’ll soon be planting. Whatever it is you’re planning, there will always be garden pests to consider keeping away. Insects from mosquitos and flies to spiders can be a nuisance and cause damage to your hard work, but so can harsh chemicals in pesticides – plus some plants need insects for cross pollination. What’s the best solution then? Other plants! There are several different species of plants that actually repel insects naturally and just enough to keep you sane and your garden healthy.

We’ve put together our favourite natural bug repelling plants that are worth planting. Not only do they repel insects, they look good in any garden! And if you can also get your hands on essential oils from these plants, you can make your own insect repellent for when you’re on the go.

LEMONGRASS

We love multi purpose plants! Lemongrass is not only used for cooking, tea, and for fragrance, but it also has a 95% effectiveness as a bug repellent (mainly mosquitos & spiders) when used as an essential oil. With such a high percentage, it’s not much different for the plant having such a distinct smell to keep bugs away.

MINT

It’s not confirmed why mint works so well, but like most plants – it could be the fragrance. Mint deters pests such as flies, moths, fleas and ants.

LAVENDER

A beautiful addition to any garden with it’s lilac petals, lavender helps repel mosquitos, flies, and other arthropods. The smell is very calming and they even attract butterflies!

PETUNIAS

Colourful petunia flowers (yes only if there are petals) are beautiful and decorative while keeping away various bugs such as, aphids, beetles, and leafhoppers.

SAGE

A study found that sage offers up to 32% protection against mozzies – that’s for sure better than nothing. Plus sage has a delicious flavour to add to an array of dishes.

CITRONELLA GRASS

We couldn’t leave citronella off the list! Known as the main ingredient in bug repelling candles, citronella works wonders to ward off mozzies. However, the plant itself isn’t as strong so you might want a few citronella grass plants to do the trick.