Plants That Keep Pests at Bay

Think about your garden as a tiny eco-system where you want to have as much diversity as possible and include plants that help keep your garden pest-free. Learn about plants that keep pests at bay in this P. Allen Smith video:

Plants that keep pests away often have a strong scent. For a long time, marigolds have been considered one of the best flowers for keeping pests at bay.

Lavender is a favorite for its calming fragrance, but many pests such as fleas, moths and mosquitoes are actually repelled by the scent of lavender. By planting lavender in containers, you can move it around the garden anywhere you like.

Lemongrass has long been used in natural insect repellents containing citronella oil. To help deter mosquitoes with its strong fragrance, lemongrass along walkways and in locations close to seating areas are ideal.

Chives, whether it’s the garlic chive that blooms with a beautiful white flower late in the season or the more commonly seen purple flowering chive that we see in so many herb gardens, are great for dissuading Japanese beetles as well as flies. They have a very definite sort of garlic aroma to them.

Adding some diversity to your garden with some of these pest-repelling plants is a wonderful way to work hand in hand with Mother Nature.