To get the maximum effect crush flowers and herb leaves in your hands to release their perfume, and then rub the plant materials and their oils over your skin and clothing.
Here are some herbs that work great and can be kept in pots on a porch, near a door, or anywhere else you plan to gather outside.
Lemon Balm
This member of the mint family has white flowers and a gentle lemony scent. It’s particularly good at keeping biting insects away, but it’s also an invasive species, so be careful when growing it.
Basil (shown above)
A 2009 study showed that the essential oil from this delicious herb is toxic to mosquito larvae.
Lavender
This beautiful, potent, and lovely smelling flower not only repels mosquitoes but also keeps moths and flies away. The flower’s perfume is well known, and while it will scent the air round your home, it’s still most effective when actually rubbed on skin.
Peppermint
In its concentrated form is sometimes used as an insect repellant, and its essential oil has been shown to keep away the adults and kill the larvae of several insect species.
Rosemary & Sage
If you’re planning an evening around a fire, try burning a little rosemary or sage. The incense these plants give off when they burn not only smells good but also is unpleasant enough to critters that it’ll keep them away as long as you’re near the smoke.
#gardening #herbs #insectrepellent #livinggreen #noordinarychick
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