7 Plants That Can Help Repel Bugs Naturally

Grow this excellent mosquito repellent as a centerpiece on your patio table, or plant a drift of basil in the garden bed. Both insect-repelling and a culinary herb, basil is easy to grow from seed or transplants. There are many varieties of basil and they all repel insects, so choose the variety that best suits your needs. Try 'Thai Magic' for use in Southeast Asian dishes or 'Spicy Globe' for a tabletop container.

Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and evenly moist, well-drained soil

Size: Up to 2 feet tall

Zones: 2-11

Buy It: Sweet Basil Plant ($4, Walmart)

Insects, such as mosquitoes, ants, and flies don't like the scent of mint plants. It purportedly repels rodents such as mice and rats, too. Mint can be used in the form of crushed leaves, oils, sprays, or even mint gum to shoo these pests away. If you grow it in your garden, make sure to keep it contained because this herb spreads aggressively.

Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and evenly moist, well-drained soil

Size: Up to 2 feet tall

Zones: 3-10

Buy It: Spearmint Plant 2-Pack ($9, The Home Depot)

You need to get rough with insect-repelling plants to bring out their power! These special plants aren't effective when they're just sitting in a pot or growing in the soil next to your patio. The leaves must be crushed to release their volatile oils, which ward off stinging and biting invaders. So crush a few leaves between your fingers as you pass by insect-repelling plants. You can also rub the broken leaves on your skin for extended bug repellent.

Special Note: Be sure to test for any allergy first by rubbing the leaves on a quarter-size patch of skin on your inner forearm; if there's no irritating skin reaction after a day or so, it's likely safe for you to rub away.

Whether you grow it as a container plant or in the garden, lemongrass has an elegant upright appearance and lovely bright green foliage. The leaves and stems can be harvested for culinary use in Vietnamese and Thai dishes. Snip a few inches off the leaf tips to release the plant's natural bug-repelling oils. Lemongrass is easy to grow from seed and is considered a tender perennial. It doesn't tolerate freezing temperatures, but enjoy it year-round by growing it in a pot and bringing it inside in the winter. In warmer regions, it can spread aggressively so keep it in a container.

Growing Conditions: Full sun and evenly moist, well-drained soil

Size: Up to 4 feet tall

Zones: 9-11

Buy It: Lemongrass ($30, The Home Depot)

Lavender's instantly recognizable, fresh scent that is loved around the world is not so pleasant for some insects. Mosquitoes, moths, and flies tend to stay away from lavender plants in general, but the most effective way to keep them away is to rub the plant on your skin and nearby surfaces to release the oils. There are over 400 varieties to choose from, so it should be easy to find one that works in your garden.

Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil; tolerates drought

Size: Up to 3 feet tall, depending on variety

Zones: 5-10

Buy It: Super Blue Lavender ($7, Walmart)

Your garden has plenty of beneficial insects! These hardworking creatures are essential pollinators and crucial to our food system while keeping bothersome bugs in check. Protect the ecosystem by not using chemical bug repellents unless necessary.

A creeping herb with a bright citrus fragrance, lemon thyme releases oils that repel many kinds of bugs. Use lemon thyme as a groundcover and enjoy its insect-repelling properties every time you tread on it. A popular culinary herb, lemon thyme has the best flavor before the plant flowers.

Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil; tolerates drought

Size: Up to 12 inches tall

Zones: 5-8

Buy It: English Thyme ($13, Lowe's)

A great companion plant for many other food crops, garlic can repel several insect pests. Plant it near cabbage family members like kale and broccoli, as well as carrots and tomatoes. Garlic is planted from individual cloves you can get at the garden center. Plant the cloves in fall, and shoots will emerge from the soil the following spring.

Growing Conditions: Full sun and evenly moist, well-drained soil

Size: Up to 18 inches tall

Zones: 4-9

Buy It: German Red Gourmet Garlic Bulbs ($19, Etsy)

A pretty perennial herb in the mint family, catnip is typically marketed to cat-lovers, but it has mosquito-repelling abilities that rival some commercial bug sprays. Start catnip from transplants purchased at the garden center; the plant's tiny seed is tough to germinate.

Growing Conditions: Full sun and evenly moist, well-drained soil

Size: Up to 3 feet tall

Zones: 3-9

Buy It: Catnip ($13, Lowe's)

In addition to using bug-repelling plants in the garden, try these tactics to keep mosquitoes, biting flies, and other annoying bugs at bay.

• Go weed-free. Weed plants create food and shelter sources for bad bugs. They also rob nutrients and water from nearby good garden plants.
• Promote healthy plants. Plant the right plant in the right place to encourage healthy, strong plants that naturally ward off diseases and insects.
• Mulch. A 2-inch-thick layer of mulch suppresses weeds and prevents soil moisture loss, creating a healthy growing zone.
• Search for pest-resistant varieties. Some plant varieties are selected to be more resistant to insect pests than other varieties. Search out plants that have good pest resistance.
• Eliminate standing water. Standing water invites unwanted pests, especially mosquitoes, which usually breed in stagnant water.