These 5 Mosquito-Repelling Plants Are Easy To Grow In Any Garden

Love being outside but prone to bug bites? When it comes to choosing plants for your backyard garden, going for ones that can help ward off hungry insects isn't a bad idea. Here are five low-maintenance plant species that double as natural mosquito repellers:

Be sure to clip back and prune your plant from time to time, too, as this will encourage the continued growth of its yummy basil leaves.

This annual has gorgeous flowers, attracts hummingbirds and butterflies, and also repels mosquitoes. Perfect for a pop of color, it needs full sun, regular water, and fertilizer.

Mint is another great herb to grow in the garden, and Hachadourian notes its fragrant oils can be used to repel mosquitoes. Be sure to plant it either in a large container or sectioned off in the garden, as it can spread quite quickly. Then, all it needs is full sun and regular watering.

They need full sun and well-drained, sandy soils since they can get finicky with too much water. "Prune back after flowering to encourage new growth," Hachadourian adds.

Even watering and good sunlight are best for Cymbopogons, according to Hachadourian, and they can handle a little drying out between waterings. He recommends using the aromatic grass as a foliage accent in mixed flower containers for some added texture.

These plants produce a wide variety of antifungal1, anti-herbivore2, and anti-insect3 compounds that fend off different types and species of bugs—some of which can stunt their growth or carry plant viruses.

So to maximize your mosquito-repelling potential, your best bet would be to wear bug spray, light a citronella candle or two, and position your new plants near where you usually like to sit outside.

With a few easy additions to your garden, you can freshen up the aesthetic and limit mosquitoes at the same time. However, even if you have all of these backyard beauties, applying bug spray is still recommended during the height of summer.