I would like to know what type of plants I can grow that will stop the mosquitoes and also if some one has a recipe that works on them. We bought a home in Tennessee and went to see it and were eaten alive my the mosquitoes. I know there has to be something that can be grown to keep them at bay!
Hardiness Zone: 7a
Thanks for all your help,
Deb from TN
I bought some plants from Wal-mart called moskito schocker. They had tags on them with a frightened mosquito on it. They grew beautifully and I only paid 3.00 each for them. They seemed to help but up in northern WI we get millions on mosquitoes. The plants have purple flowers on them the only bad thing is they are an annual flower/bush by me, I live in zone 3. They would grow wonderfully by your zone 7, all year around and get really huge. I wish I could keep them in the house all winter, but I have 2 cats that would dig in dirt and eat the plants. (09/20/2006)
By Linda from WI
As I was reading this mosquito repellent request a mosquito was buzzing me in my den. I ran out to check the name on the mosquito repellent plant that I had purchased in the spring. I rubbed some on while I was reading the tag. It is a" moskito shocker" plant, just like the one mentioned in the feedback from Linda.
By cosmic
I read that Chrysanthemums repel mosquitoes. Check it out. Hope this helps. (09/20/2006)
By Nancy
Hi Deb and All TF subscribers,
I love Mother Earth News and don't know what I would do without them :)
http://www.motherearthliving.com/issues/motherearthliving/natural_health/Natural-Mosquito-Repellent_207-1.html
I live in Nev. and our mosquito population is about nil, but when we travel back to Nebr. for our summer vacation or to Arkansas for the fall, I'm reminded quickly what a nuisance they are! My sister-in-law planted rosemary around her house. Seems to keep the majority of the pests away. (09/21/2006)
By Laurie
The plant "Musquito Shocker" from WalMart is I believe a lemon geranium. I keep one on my balcony all summer and then cut it back and check for "bugs" before bringing it inside for winter. It grows very well inside on a sunny windowsill. By Spring it`s a good size to place outside once again. By the way...it smells really nice indoors. (09/21/2006)
By Miranda
This isn't a plant idea but I can tell you from experience guinea hens can just about eat their weight in bugs, mosquitoes included. bats also eat the little buggers. Bat houses can be bought or built and put in trees or at the top of the house. I think they are interesting to watch in flight catching bugs. (09/21/2006)
By carla bledsoe
According to wikipedia and a couple of other website I've seen, Beautyberry bush is a natural mosquito repellent. It's supposed to be native to the southern US, but I'm going to have to look for it in a plant center (I live in NE Florida and housing projects are taking up all the land). A nice side benefit of the Beautyberry is that birds like the berries.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beautyberry
Sharon
Yulee, FL (09/21/2006)
By Sharon Baker
This is a homemade recipe. I use it's actually air freshener but I adapted it for repellent.
Homemade Air Freshener Gel
2 tbsp unflavored gelatin
2 cups water
desired food coloring
selected fragrant or essential oil ;-use citronella
mixing bowl
To begin:
Start by pouring gelatin into bowl
Boil 3/4cup water
Next stir the boiling water carefully into the gelatin powder until all has been dissolved
By glenda
I plant Marigolds every year from the seeds that I save from the year before. We used to have mosquitoes galore until I started doing this. They are not only pretty, and spread like weeds, they DO keep the mosquitoes away. They don't like the smell of them. (09/24/2006)
Melissa or anyone could you please tell me what kind of vinegar white distilled or apple cider vinegar I would like to try this. ladellcurtis @ hotmail.com (09/30/2006)
EUCALYPTUS is one of the more popular plants here used to repel mosquitoes. Lemon grass is also good and rose.
To make ANTI-MOSQUITO Spray, you can combine 10 ml Eucalyptus, 5ml Rose and 5ml Lemongrass essential oils with 80ml water. Shake well before using and spray on yourself or around the room.
(12/10/2006)
By Marina
I have had success just by using Caress Soap and now my family uses it as well. It seems to work! (06/01/2007)
By Laurie
A good mosquito repellent for outside use I use is mix 1 tablespoon of dish soap and 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil to every gallon of water. Put in sprayer and spray it every where around your place, it won't hurt your pets or plant, but you need to reapply after every rain cause the rain washes it away. (06/23/2007)
By Carl
WRKO radio has a recipe- 1 part clove oil- 1 part peppermint or spearmint oil- 15 parts water(quote)(/quote) (07/08/2007)
By donna
I would like to find something to keep flies and mosquitoes off of pets and we have a 4-H pig that they are just getting to her and boy is she bad. I find all for people but none for pets or show animals.
HELP HELP (07/26/2007)
By Shirley of Colorado.
WD-40! Not necessarily a direct spray is needed to kill, if a mosquito flies into a very light mist of WD-40 it will drop dead.
In Vietnam since the 60's, a chemical with similar ingredients (or was it WD-40?) was effectively used for chasing those little blood suckers out of the houses... housing system in Vietnam is open air.
A landscape that breeds mosquitoes will most favorably grow plants that are mosquito friendly.
Rubbing your skin with a compound contains methyl salycilate will displace the smell of your sweat and keep you from being bitten. methyl salycilate is an active ingredient in many Chinese rubbing creams and oils, as in Bengay or IcyHot.
(07/31/2007)
By tuan
breadfruit
oil
isoprophyl alcohol (08/05/2007)
By joy
1 part vinegar, 1 part oil, I used mineral oil but you can also use baby oil to make the smell better. mix together in a spray bottle and spray away. they will smell a bit like vinegar but has worked quite well and keeps those pesty things from getting anywhere near them. You can also spray this mixture on tents, chairs etc. wont hurt them at all.(08/16/2007)
By angela
For many years I planted marigolds edging our vegetable garden and during the harvest time, I've not been bothered by mosquitoes. Also, I had some young transplants in pots arranged on the edge of the steps to the main entrance of our home and haven't been bothered with mosquitoes gaining entrance when the door is opened.
(08/21/2007)
By Myrna
The plant you could Use is a citronella plant or "mozzie ustaer Plant". You could grow then indoors and out and when ever you want it to work, just simply water the plant and the citronella smell will shoo away the mozzies from your house area.
(11/29/2007)
By Mark
I used rubbing alcohol on my dogs to get rid of mosquitoes and it works perfect, but it works better in a spray bottle.(4/6/08) (04/06/2008)
By janorris
Please be very careful about using something like rubbing alcohol on a dog. You could cause serious problems for the animal, or death. Only use vet approved substances on your animals. (04/09/2008)
By Cat
I wanted to know if burning pinion wood would prevent mosquitoes? (04/17/2008)
By Louise
Lavender essential oil works well. You can combine 10 drops of lavender oil, 5 drops of lemon oil and 2 drops geranium or eucalyptus oil and mix it with 2 tablespoons oil(almond oil is best but any other vegetable based oil will do). You can also soak some strips of paper with it and hang it by the door or windows to keep them away. It's safe for kids and pets and smells so good! (04/24/2008)
By Jo
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