Pests aren’t a welcome sight in your home—and flies, in particular, can be a real nuisance.
Whether you are dealing with fruit flies, houseflies, or mosquitoes, these insects are unhealthy to have in the home. They can easily spread bacteria and disease by contaminating our food and landing on surfaces, causing the likes of salmonella, Escherichia coli and cholera. If not addressed promptly, a single fly can quickly turn into an infestation as well, so take action if you notice these unwanted guests.
You can of course learn How to get rid of fruit fliesor How to get rid of mosquitoesBut how can you prevent these insects from coming back? The good news is that there are many houseplants that can help with this problem. These plants contain natural properties to deter flies and keep them away from your home. Plus, they can add some natural décor to your space at the same time. Keen to know more? Here are 9 fly repellent plants that will keep your home free of insects.
If you also struggle with rodents, here it is 7 plants that prevent mice and rats from infesting your home.
1. lavender
Lavender has many uses. It produces lavender oil that can relieve stress, help you sleep and has anti-inflammatory properties as well. Moreover, this plant looks beautiful in view and produces a strong and pleasant aroma. This smell is actually beneficial in more ways than one, because flies can’t stand it. By strategically placing bunches of lavender around your home, you will soon notice a decrease in the number of flies.
Since the scent is what keeps away flies as well as mosquitoes, moths, and fleas, you can also use lavender extracted oil to get the same effect. You can mix this oil with household cleaning products or laundry detergents to maximize the fragrance in your home.
2. Mint
Mint is another versatile plant that can help keep your home free of flies. It is very easy to grow and thrives in full sun or partial shade, and its leaves can be used to complement all kinds of recipes. Whether you want to garnish your main course, or give some added flavor to your mojito, mint can give your cooking a professional touch.
Mint has an unmistakable fresh scent. The good news is that it’s another scent that flies can’t stand. In fact, it’s so powerful it can keep rodents away, too—especially peppermint and spearmint.
It should be noted that this plant is very fast and easy to grow, so it can quickly become unruly. Therefore, it is better to put it in a pot, leave it on the windowsill, and cut it back when necessary. Alternatively, you can use peppermint oil around the house to keep flies away. Simply mix two teaspoons with a cup of water and spray it where the pests frequent.
3. Marigolds
Marigolds are usually grown outdoors and although they may attract butterflies and beetles, whiteflies and mosquitoes will keep them away. This is because this plant releases a distinctive aroma that contains limonene. It is also said that the roots themselves release a toxic chemical that is harmful to root nematodes, so you don’t have to worry about these pests either.
Marigolds are generally no-fuss plants, but they do require plenty of sunlight to grow. This is the main reason why they are so difficult to grow indoors. However, you can display them indoors as cut flowers and achieve similar fly-repelling benefits. Just remember to replace your flowers when necessary.
4. Rosemary
Rosemary is often found in your typical herb garden. It can be used around the home – in terms of cooking, it serves as a spice to embellish dishes, and the scent is pleasant enough to show up in soaps and makeup, too. And although this distinctive scent is attractive to us, flies hate this herb. The pungent scent will keep midges and mosquitoes away from both small and large flies.
Rosemary is another easy plant to grow. It can be kept outdoors or grown via a container indoors, requiring direct sunlight and low levels of humidity. Rosemary oil is a common ingredient in natural pesticides, too.
5. Lemon
Lemongrass is known for its repelling properties against flies and mosquitoes. This is because it contains citronella oil, which gives off a floral, herbal scent. Flies cannot stand this smell, and will get away at any cost. Lemongrass is easy to grow, but it requires warm, moist conditions, with regular sunlight. It can be grown outdoors or by container indoors.
If you want all the benefits of this plant, but without the fuss, you can also simply use citronella oil around the house. It can be diluted and sprayed on to apply the scent. Or, you can rub it directly on your skin to keep mosquitoes away while you’re outside.
6. Garlic
Garlic can keep more than vampires away — it turns out it’s pretty useful for deterring flies, too. Garlic releases a pungent odor that is familiar to all of us; This is because it releases sulfur compounds when the skin is damaged. This is how it naturally keeps pests out too, including the likes of rodents. If they get too close, they freak out.
Garlic can be used for all kinds of recipes in the kitchen, so given the benefits on offer, why not grow it? If you need guidance, be sure to check out How does garlic grow?. To use it around the house, blend four or five cloves of garlic to make a puree, and mix it with a pint of water to spray in areas where flies frequent. Be prepared for a house that smells of garlic, but know that the flies will definitely stay away.
7. Catnip
While cats may like the scent of catnip, it is not a favorite of mosquitoes. This is because catnip contains an active ingredient known as nepeta cataria, which will repel insects, such as flies and mosquitoes. So, you can make yourself and your cat happy by investing in this houseplant.
Catnip is very easy to grow indoors, as it thrives best on a sunny windowsill with plain water. Be careful though that catnip grows quickly, and it’s best to keep it in a pot, so you can keep it from growing and prevent it from flooding your garden.
8. Basil
Basil is another herb that can help keep flies away from your home. In fact, it is seen as one of the best, but it is also known to be difficult to care for. It requires regular heat with well-drained soil, however it will burn in direct sun, so partial shade is ideal. If you can maintain these conditions, basil will grow well in containers in your kitchen. If this is not possible, you can grow it outdoors more easily.
The strong smell of basil, which smells herbal and earthy, might be appealing to us, but it’s not tolerable to flies and mosquitoes. In fact, the oil can destroy mosquito eggs. You can collect the oil yourself to use as an insect repellent spray by plucking the leaves from the plant, or you can buy it plain as well.
9. Wise
Another herb that can help repel flies is sage. This is not surprising when you consider the power of scent that this lasting perfume releases. It smells musky, earthy, and sweet, and is at its strongest when the leaves are mashed or burned. In fact, if you burn dried sage leaves, they can release oils very effectively and keep flies and mosquitoes away. Alternatively, you can place leaves strategically around your home to keep pests away.
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