Seasonal plants that keep warm weather bugs away
By
Staff, AccuWeather
Published May 4, 2020 4:59 PM EDT
Bugs and spiders are critical to the global ecosystem and play an important role in keeping plants and trees healthy. During spring and summer though, insects and spiders can cause havoc out in the yard and even come into our homes. When insects get inside, they struggle to escape and usually end up dying on windowsills. Some bugs are pests that injure and kill plants, ruining decorative flowers as well as fruits and vegetables you might be growing. You don't have to start using harsh chemicals to repel bugs though. Do you want to grow a variety of plants without worrying about insects and other pests from ruining them? Would you like to have your windows open through summer without flies taking up residence in your house? There are many seasonal plants that repel bugs naturally, no need for chemicals at all. Keep reading to discover what varieties to plant to keep mosquitoes, flies, and other insects away.
Photo by Truly Joy
Truly Joy
When you're looking at the best spring flowers to plant, you might want to add marigolds to your list to protect the others. That's because marigolds have a lovely scent that's not so lovely to bugs. Mosquitoes and aphids both hate the smell of marigolds and will avoid areas where they're planted. If you're growing vegetables in your yard and are worried about rabbits getting to them before you do, marigolds can also work wonders. Rabbits aren't fans of the scent of marigolds either, making this pretty flower ideal for protecting your plants in spring and summer.
Photo by Chris CP
Chris CP
When you want to keep bugs away from your plants this summer, mint will be a great seasonal friend. This herb can grow happily indoors and outside through the warm months and works wonders. Mint is a seasonal pest repellent and keeps bugs away from nearby plants. Spiders and ants are also warded off by a well-placed mint plant. Pot up your mint plants instead of planting them directly into the garden as they can quickly grow out of control. In spring and summer, you can add mint leaves to drinks or make mint tea for easy refreshments.
Photo by Heather Ford
Heather Ford
Did you know that lavender was part of the mint family? They look and smell completely different but they share an ability to repel bugs, spiders, and flies. Lavender loves full sun and is seasonal. Lavender is one of the many seasonal plants that thrive in spring and summer. Plant it out in the garden or keep it in large pots. You can also dry lavender to keep in the house. Living lavender prefers the outdoors, so to keep bugs and moths out of your home, dry lavender cuttings and fill little cloth bags. You can place these in closets and hang them throughout your home.
Photo by Vincent Foret
Vincent Foret
Rosemary is another lovely seasonal herb that you can plant in your garden or in pots to keep bugs away from your plants. Plant this herb near vegetables and fruiting plants to stop insects from snacking on your produce. You can also harvest fresh rosemary for cooking or take cuttings and dry it out. Rosemary adds a delicious flavor to many dishes.
Photo by Micheile Henderson
Micheile Henderson
If you're looking for seasonal flowers that help keep bugs away from the rest of your plants, chrysanthemums are a good option. Amazingly, these beautiful flowering plants naturally contain an insecticide that will help repel insects and even kill them. Chrysanthemums make for wonderful border plants and will help keep flies, spiders, and other insects off your plants. You can also grow them in pots if you're limited on space.
Photo by Justyna Kunkel
Justyna Kunkel
If it's insects on your vegetables you're struggling with, thyme is a great seasonal herb to plant. It repels many insects including whitefly and stops your salad plants and vegetables from becoming overrun with pests.You can also plant lemon thyme out in your garden to repel mosquitoes. For it to work well, you'll need to bruise the leaves slightly to bring out the strong lemony scent. You can do this in the early evening when mosquitoes are most likely to be flying around.
Photo by Jan Haerer
Jan Haerer
You're likely no stranger to citronella candles or citronella-flavored oils. In spring and summer, many of us light citronella products to keep mosquitoes away. You can go one better than that though by planting citronella grass yourself. This pretty grass can grow quite tall and takes little maintenance. You can grow it around your patio and next to your yard doors to keep mosquitoes away, no candles required.
Photo by Anna-m. w.
Anna-m. w.
Scented geraniums come in many colors and look stunning, no matter where they're planted. They contain citronella and this delicate amount of scent works well to repel mosquitoes and other pests, keeping them away from your home and plants. Geraniums do well planted in flower beds and you can put them close to plants that might be susceptible to insects. You can also plant scented geraniums in pots and place them on a balcony or on your patio.
Photo by Tony Liao
Tony Liao
Outstanding for your health and delicious in so many recipes, garlic is excellent for keeping insects away from your seasonal salad plants and vegetables. These strong-smelling plants are perfect for placing between tomatoes and other edible plants as they repel stink bugs, aphids, and Japanese beetles. Garlic is also a great mosquito repellent and doesn't take up as much room as other plants like rosemary.
You don't need to spray your fruits and vegetables with harsh chemicals and your roses can be aphid-free if you put the right plants around your home and garden. To keep bugs away and repel spiders, mosquitoes, and any other pest, you can choose a range of lovely plants to fill your garden and patio with. Herbs like rosemary, thyme, mint, and lavender are hardy and usually grow easily outdoors. You can grow mint and thyme indoors too and dry lavender to get its benefits inside. Flowers like chrysanthemums, marigolds, and geraniums make for beautiful companions to insect-prone plants and keep bugs off your leaves.
Photo by Nasim Keshmiri
Nasim Keshmiri
To be free of mosquitoes this spring and summer, citronella grass is a fantastic option to plant around outside seating areas and near doors and windows. With these plants, you'll have a beautiful and natural method of keeping bugs away. Follow our blog to discover more garden tips and learn about which plants to grow to suit your needs.
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News / AccuWeather Ready
Seasonal plants that keep warm weather bugs away
By Staff, AccuWeather
Published May 4, 2020 4:59 PM EDT
Bugs and spiders are critical to the global ecosystem and play an important role in keeping plants and trees healthy. During spring and summer though, insects and spiders can cause havoc out in the yard and even come into our homes. When insects get inside, they struggle to escape and usually end up dying on windowsills. Some bugs are pests that injure and kill plants, ruining decorative flowers as well as fruits and vegetables you might be growing. You don't have to start using harsh chemicals to repel bugs though. Do you want to grow a variety of plants without worrying about insects and other pests from ruining them? Would you like to have your windows open through summer without flies taking up residence in your house? There are many seasonal plants that repel bugs naturally, no need for chemicals at all. Keep reading to discover what varieties to plant to keep mosquitoes, flies, and other insects away.
Photo by Truly Joy
1. Marigolds
When you're looking at the best spring flowers to plant, you might want to add marigolds to your list to protect the others. That's because marigolds have a lovely scent that's not so lovely to bugs. Mosquitoes and aphids both hate the smell of marigolds and will avoid areas where they're planted. If you're growing vegetables in your yard and are worried about rabbits getting to them before you do, marigolds can also work wonders. Rabbits aren't fans of the scent of marigolds either, making this pretty flower ideal for protecting your plants in spring and summer.
Photo by Chris CP
2. Mint
When you want to keep bugs away from your plants this summer, mint will be a great seasonal friend. This herb can grow happily indoors and outside through the warm months and works wonders. Mint is a seasonal pest repellent and keeps bugs away from nearby plants. Spiders and ants are also warded off by a well-placed mint plant. Pot up your mint plants instead of planting them directly into the garden as they can quickly grow out of control. In spring and summer, you can add mint leaves to drinks or make mint tea for easy refreshments.
Photo by Heather Ford
3. Lavender
Did you know that lavender was part of the mint family? They look and smell completely different but they share an ability to repel bugs, spiders, and flies. Lavender loves full sun and is seasonal. Lavender is one of the many seasonal plants that thrive in spring and summer. Plant it out in the garden or keep it in large pots. You can also dry lavender to keep in the house. Living lavender prefers the outdoors, so to keep bugs and moths out of your home, dry lavender cuttings and fill little cloth bags. You can place these in closets and hang them throughout your home.
Photo by Vincent Foret
4. Rosemary
Rosemary is another lovely seasonal herb that you can plant in your garden or in pots to keep bugs away from your plants. Plant this herb near vegetables and fruiting plants to stop insects from snacking on your produce. You can also harvest fresh rosemary for cooking or take cuttings and dry it out. Rosemary adds a delicious flavor to many dishes.
Photo by Micheile Henderson
5. Chrysanthemums
If you're looking for seasonal flowers that help keep bugs away from the rest of your plants, chrysanthemums are a good option. Amazingly, these beautiful flowering plants naturally contain an insecticide that will help repel insects and even kill them. Chrysanthemums make for wonderful border plants and will help keep flies, spiders, and other insects off your plants. You can also grow them in pots if you're limited on space.
Photo by Justyna Kunkel
6. Thyme
If it's insects on your vegetables you're struggling with, thyme is a great seasonal herb to plant. It repels many insects including whitefly and stops your salad plants and vegetables from becoming overrun with pests.You can also plant lemon thyme out in your garden to repel mosquitoes. For it to work well, you'll need to bruise the leaves slightly to bring out the strong lemony scent. You can do this in the early evening when mosquitoes are most likely to be flying around.
Photo by Jan Haerer
7. Citronella
You're likely no stranger to citronella candles or citronella-flavored oils. In spring and summer, many of us light citronella products to keep mosquitoes away. You can go one better than that though by planting citronella grass yourself. This pretty grass can grow quite tall and takes little maintenance. You can grow it around your patio and next to your yard doors to keep mosquitoes away, no candles required.
Photo by Anna-m. w.
8. Scented geraniums
Scented geraniums come in many colors and look stunning, no matter where they're planted. They contain citronella and this delicate amount of scent works well to repel mosquitoes and other pests, keeping them away from your home and plants. Geraniums do well planted in flower beds and you can put them close to plants that might be susceptible to insects. You can also plant scented geraniums in pots and place them on a balcony or on your patio.
Photo by Tony Liao
9. Garlic
Outstanding for your health and delicious in so many recipes, garlic is excellent for keeping insects away from your seasonal salad plants and vegetables. These strong-smelling plants are perfect for placing between tomatoes and other edible plants as they repel stink bugs, aphids, and Japanese beetles. Garlic is also a great mosquito repellent and doesn't take up as much room as other plants like rosemary.
Photo by Caio
Seasonal plants are powerful repellents that keep bugs away
You don't need to spray your fruits and vegetables with harsh chemicals and your roses can be aphid-free if you put the right plants around your home and garden. To keep bugs away and repel spiders, mosquitoes, and any other pest, you can choose a range of lovely plants to fill your garden and patio with. Herbs like rosemary, thyme, mint, and lavender are hardy and usually grow easily outdoors. You can grow mint and thyme indoors too and dry lavender to get its benefits inside. Flowers like chrysanthemums, marigolds, and geraniums make for beautiful companions to insect-prone plants and keep bugs off your leaves.
Photo by Nasim Keshmiri
To be free of mosquitoes this spring and summer, citronella grass is a fantastic option to plant around outside seating areas and near doors and windows. With these plants, you'll have a beautiful and natural method of keeping bugs away. Follow our blog to discover more garden tips and learn about which plants to grow to suit your needs.
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