Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
Homemade Natural Mosquito Repellent
Learn to make a natural spray to repel mosquitoes using essential oils. Also learn what herbs to plant to keep mosquitoes at bay.
In the battle against mosquitoes around your home, two methods can help: making sprays that you can use outdoors and on your clothes and skin, and growing plants that naturally repel mosquitoes. Because chemical sprays can be potentially dangerous to children, try natural methods as an alternative.
Essential Oils that Work
A number of essential oils can be effective in natural sprays that repel mosquitoes. They include:
tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)
citronella (Collinsonia canadensis)
lemongrass (Cymbopogon citrullus)
lavender (Lavandula spp.)
When the aromatic oils of these plants are concentrated, they're called essential oils. Their "essence" delivers a strong scent of the plant that can help ward off those pesky mosquitoes and other annoying insects.
Making a Mosquito Spray
To make a simple spray to use on your skin, clothing, or outdoor areas, you'll need a few basic ingredients.
In your mixing bowl, combine 2 teaspoons of vodka with 4 tablespoons of distilled water. Then add 5 to 6 drops of each essential oil. They work best when they're combined, but if you only have one or two of the types of essential oils on hand, just use what you have. Then add in few drops of vanilla. According to research published in Bioresource Technology in January 2010, vanilla can help to increase the protection time of the repellent. Place your funnel on top of the spray bottle, and then add the contents of the mixing bowl to the bottle. Place the top on the bottle and shake to mix the contents around. Spray the solution on your skin, clothing and around your porch or areas where people congregate.
Warning
Test the spray on a small patch of your skin before using it on your entire body, as some people develop skin rashes from citronella and other essential oils. Also check with a physician before using the spray on pregnant women and children.
Things You'll Need
Mixing bowl
Vodka
Measuring spoons
Distilled water
Tea tree, citronella, lemongrass and lavender essential oils
Vanilla
Funnel
Spray bottle
Mosquito-Repelling Plants
In addition to the herbs mentioned previously -- all of which you can grow in your garden to ward off mosquitoes -- a number of other strategically placed herbs can help keep the buggers away. Once again, it's the herbs' strong scent that signals to the mosquitoes to stay away. Plants that naturally keep mosquitoes away include:
Basil (Ocimum basilicum), an annual that's also delicious in salads and Italian dishes.
Catnip (Nepeta cataria), a perennial that's hardy from USDA zones 3 to 4.
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) a perennial shrub hardy from USDA zones 6 to 9.
Garlic (Allium sativum), hardy from USDA zones 3 to 8.
Set pots of the mosquito-repelling herbs around your porch or in areas where people tend to congregate, or grow them in the garden beds surrounding your porch, deck and garden paths.
