5 Best Plants that Naturally Repel Pests

Mosquitos can be pesky and bothersome. Other pests can have their way with your well-tended vegetable gardens. It can be tricky to manage these unwanted critters once they’ve made a home in your yard, but incorporating an assortment of pest-repelling plants can make all the difference. Not only do these serve a functional purpose, but they’re also perfect for livening up your landscape. Here are a few of the best plants that naturally repel pests.

Peppermint

Bold and effervescent mint is a powerful repellent against many common yard pests, like flea beetles, cabbage moths, and ants. While you can take advantage of its functionality and simply place the occasional sprig in places throughout your garden, you might also want to make it a more integral part of your layout. If that’s the case, potted peppermint will make a great addition to any outdoor space. Featuring lovely lavender flowers, the fragrant plant also happens to produce a refreshing tea and can be used to flavor homemade treats. For best results, plant your peppermint in the spaces that are most vulnerable to pest infestations.

Oregano

Cabbage moths can be detrimental if you happen to grow cabbage, as they are attracted to both young and old plants and feed aggressively once they find their way to the vegetable. They also enjoy feasting on cauliflower and broccoli, so if you have any of these in your garden you’ll want to choose a repellent that will prevent these pesky and unwanted pests from devouring the hard-earned fruits of your labor. Oregano makes a fantastic choice for repelling them successfully. Simply plant through your garden beds, or lay a few sprigs near the crops that are at the greatest risk of infestation.

Rosemary

Among the most wondrous natural pest repellents is rosemary. More than just a fragrant addition to your meals and beverages, the perennial herb successfully wards off everything from cabbage moths and slugs to snails and carrot flies. All of these can have their way with your garden beds, making it extra important to implement a natural remedy that is as attractive as it is effective. Plant it amongst those that are most likely to suffer the consequences of these pests’ wrath. In the wintertime, you can bring them inside and treat them as houseplants for the season.

Thyme

Your vegetable garden can put up quite a fight when you incorporate thyme into the mix. This fragrant perennial herb repels many pesky critters, including tomato hornworms, cabbage maggots, whiteflies, small whites, and corn earworms, among many others. People often use thyme medicinally, but its fragrance is a powerful natural repellent for these unwanted visitors who could otherwise wreak havoc with your beautiful work. You can also use it to flavor your favorite dishes, from meats to vegetables. How’s that for pulling double duty?

Basil

Those whiteflies, mosquitos, asparagus beetles, and carrot flies don’t stand a chance when you incorporate basil into your garden. It’s even powerfully effective against houseflies, so it’s worth keeping a basil plant in the home too. When they aren’t doing their job as potent pest repellents, you can add a few leaves to your home-cooked Italian meals for flavorful dishes. The pungent fragrance oil does the job incredibly effectively.

Fragrant and beautiful, the best pest-repelling plants can make all the difference to the quality and longevity of your garden.