No one wants to have harmful insects in their home, and even if you clean regularly, they can still invade our homes. As for many of these, including cockroaches, wasps and flies, all it takes is a small opening for them to infiltrate inside.

To keep these unwanted critters away from the house, there are mosquito repellent plants that you can plant in the garden or grow on your balcony.

1 – SMELLING PELARGONIUM (PELARGONIUM GRAVEOLENS)

Although not botanically a geranium, pelargonium often takes this name in common language. Scented geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) and rose geranium (Pelargonium roseum) are the most effective against mosquitoes: their leaves are particularly fragrant.

2 – CATMARY

This plant, very popular with cats, is also one of the most hated by cockroaches and flies, who will be careful not to approach it.

3 – LEMONSELLA

Lemongrass is a grass which, thanks to its lemony scent, has the property of repelling insects and mosquitoes. You will plant them near windows or your terrace to prevent flies from invading you.

4 – LAVENDER

Lavender is a sweet-smelling plant that repels moths, flies, fleas and mosquitoes.

And its magic works even if the flowers are dried! Our grandmothers put dried flowers in small fabric bags in clothing drawers to keep insects away.

This pretty purple plant is easy to grow especially if you have well-drained soil and plenty of sun. And you can use its fresh flowers in sauces or desserts and its dried flowers in herbal teas.

5 – BASIL

Basil, although appreciated in our dishes, is not appreciated by flies. It gives off a strong scent which acts as a repellent for flies. This plant also has antiviral and antibacterial properties, it will also purify your environment.

6 – GARLIC

The garlic plant, one of the most used vegetables in cooking, is one of the most effective natural repellents and is particularly useful against cockroaches.

7 – THE ALLIUM

If you have a garden, alliums are undoubtedly great allies. Indeed, their field of action is particularly substantial since their repulsive power is deployed over a large area. As a result, several plants in your vegetable garden will be protected by this invisible protective screen.

Some of these plants that will benefit from this include cabbage, broccoli, carrots, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, and kohlrabi. As for the insects that the plant repels: carrot flies, aphids, cabbage worms, rose aphids and even slugs.

8 – MELISSA

Also called lemon grass, the foliage of lemon balm, like that of verbena, is very lemony. It is a perennial plant capable of growing everywhere, lemon balm even tends to spread in the garden, particularly in the gaps in the walls between two stones. By its smell, lemon balm repels mosquitoes in the evening, it is also very useful for fighting chiggers.

9 – ABSINTHE

Wormwood is a useful plant for fighting insects, particularly wasps and mosquitoes. It is possible to plant it, but also then to dry its leaves and flowers to constitute an indoor insecticide. The smell is unbearable for the insects which will quickly flee the places where the wormwood is found.