Mosquitoes are generally a warm weather problem, so why would you be concerned about them when it’s still cold out? Well, the answer is that some approaches to mosquito management require you to do some preparation in the months leading up to the mosquitoes’ appearance. Did you know that your garden could help you deter mosquitoes?

Lavender is known for its relaxing aromatherapy effects. What it’s a little less well known for is being an herb that mosquitoes don’t care for. They just don’t like the smell. If you don’t have any in your garden already, it’s probably going to be best to get a small starter plant instead of trying to grow it from a seed. That can be surprisingly tricky. When you plant it, make sure to put it in a nice, sunny spot that sees at least 8 hours of sun a day. Place it in drier soil that drains well and water it sparingly. 

Basil features heavily in all sorts of Italian recipes. It’s delicious to us, but rather distasteful to mosquitoes. This is because it has four compounds that interfere with the insect’s heat and carbon dioxide sensors. They need those to detect their food, so you can imagine that a plant that interferes with that isn’t going to be high on their list of plants they like. You’ll need to plant this herb on a yearly basis, as it’s an annual plant. It should be planted in a place where it can get full sun and has rich soil. Clip leaves as needed and prune off flowers to encourage more leaf growth.

Sage is another herb on the list of plants mosquitoes dislike. Like lavender, the smell of sage is distasteful to them. Sage is a perennial, so you shouldn’t have to replant this one unless it dies for some reason. Like the other plants on this list, sage needs plenty of sun. It also thrives in drier soil that drains well. Young plants will need plenty of watering during the first few weeks. Make sure to leave a few leaves while harvesting during the first year. That will help promote full growth as it ages.

Just as there are certain plants and smells that don’t appeal to humans, there are garden plants that mosquitoes don’t like either. Lavender, basil, and sage are just three such plants that you can plant in your garden. As an added bonus, you can use these plants for all sorts of dishes that you can cook during any time of the year. Just because mosquitoes don’t like them doesn’t mean that you can’t take full advantage of them and enjoy them.

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