How to Plant a Mosquito Repellent Garden

I love being outside all summer long, don’t you?

We’ve got lots of cozy outdoor living spaces to hang out in.

The upper deck’s outdoor dining area.

The lower deck’s conversation area with gas fire pit.

And the fire pit garden.

Not to mention the spots around my yard where you can sit and enjoy the gardens.

But some nights the mosquitos can be brutal!

So we call it a day earlier than we’d like just to avoid getting eaten alive.

There are a few steps we can take to minimize mosquitos in our yards.

Like burning citronella candles and tiki torches.

But we can also plant things to help keep them away.

So today, I’m going to show you how to plant a garden that repels mosquitos.

And the best part?

You can harvest the herbs for the kitchen.

Plants that Repel Mosquitos

Before planting a garden, it’s important to understand the types of plants that help repel mosquitos before heading off to the nursery.

Here’s my top 15 list:

• lavender
• rosemary
• basil
• mint
• marigold
• lemongrass
• citronella geranium
• citronella
• lemon balm
• nepeta (catmint)
• sage
• marigolds
• lantana
• peppermint
• bee balm

Supplies Needed to Plant a Garden

• plants
• container (unless planting direct in the ground)
• potting soil (garden soil if planting direct in the ground)
• WORKPRO® Tools 2 Pairs Garden Gloves
• WORKPRO® Tools Garden Tool Set
• WORKPRO® Tools Garden Tool Bag
• plant food
• shovel or cup

About WORKPRO® Tools

I’m really excited to be working with some tools from the WORKPRO® gardening line for this project.

Since I tend to get a bit scattered while working in the gardens, I love having all of my garden tools in one place.

The tools are made with comfortable, non-slip contoured grip handles that are made from durable cast aluminum material. The set comes with a trowel, transplanter, weeder, hand fork, and hand rake.

The garden bag is keeping me organized while working around the beds, the tools are comfortable to grip and work with, and I can tackle any gardening project without running around looking for my tools.

Oh and did I mention their gloves?

They are really comfortable and protect my hands, yet are lightweight and breathable. And I love that they keep my hands cool and dry.

How to Plant a Garden that Repels Mosquitos

Now that we have a list of plants that help repel mosquitos, let’s design a garden.

Determine the Location

The first step is to determine where the window boxes will be maintained.

Does the area receive full sun, part sun, or shade?

Understanding the location will help you choose the right plants.

I’m planting a container garden that will be light enough to move around so I can use it in my various outdoor living spaces when we are hanging out at night.

Choose the Right Plants

Once the location is determined, it’s time to shop for plants.

If choosing to create a container design with a few plants, it’s important to make sure that they each have the same or similar light conditions as well as water conditions.

So read the plant tags.

Understanding light and water conditions will help you take better care of your plants after the container garden is finished.

How to Design a Garden

While shopping around the nursery, I was looking for plants that would accentuate the planters and could handle lower light conditions.

One of the things I like to do is group my plants together in the nursery to see how they look together.

Are they aesthetically pleasing?

I look at foliage, blooms, plant size, and the overall plant habit.

Design Tips: If you are designing a container garden, consider using the thriller, filler, and spiller method of planter design.

If planting directly in the ground, work in layers and groups of odd numbers.

Bug Repelling Plants for This Container Garden Idea

• Marigolds
• Thai Basil
• Red Rubin Basil
• Trailing Oregano
• Oregano
• Sage
• Tri-Color Sage

7 Easy Steps to Plant a Garden that Repels Mosquitos

• Gather supplies.
• Add some potting soil to the container with a hand trowel so the plants have some soil to sit in.
• If planting directly in the garden, dig a hole using a hand trowel and add some fresh garden soil to the hole.
• Check the planting depth by adding your plants while still in their plastic nursery pots. You want the soil line to match up with about an inch down from the top of the container. If more soil is needed to get the right depth, add more.
• Remove plants from plastic pots and fan out the roots before setting them in the container. This encourages the roots to grow out into the potting soil.
• Backfill with potting soil, tamping it down as you go to remove the air pockets.
• Add a slow-release fertilizer to the container, water, and enjoy!

And that’s it!

Didn’t it turn out beautiful?

For more container garden care tips, CLICK HERE.

While I was at the nursery, I bought a few extra mosquito repellent plants to add to my fire pit garden border to make it prettier and keep the bugs away.

So after planting my mosquito repellent container garden, I just kept going.

Ah, the life of a gardener.

Thanks so much for following along with me today!

Happy Gardening!