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Mosquito Repellent Garden Plants for Texas

June 17, 2024
, Plants

Soaring summertime temperatures in Texas make spending time in your garden a real challenge. Just as all of your garden plants need additional water to thrive, mosquitoes come along. The mosquito thrives in a moist and humid environment, carrying a host of potential irritations as well as diseases.

You can keep mosquitoes at bay by including certain herbs in your garden and by following some common mosquito repellent landscaping tips. During the summer heat, the mosquito repellent garden plants for Texas discussed in this post will heat up and naturally release their fragrances, which keep mosquitoes at bay. You can also amplify their impact by crushing the leaves or creating your own mosquito spray by steeping the herbs in water.

Rosemary

In Texas, rosemary can be grown as an evergreen landscaping plant, so it can be enjoyed throughout the year. Whether you intend to make use of this plant as an herb for cooking or not, plan to include at least one rosemary plant in your garden. Rosemary grows to an impressive 4 feet tall and wide and is the most mosquito-resistant of all the herbs. The odor of the essential oils within the plant itself irritates and repels mosquitoes, so plan to include it when planting new trees and bushes.

Mint

Mint is a perennial herb that contains menthol within the leaves and will also deter mosquitoes. Mint should be planted in a container in your garden, as it is invasive. You should also plan to keep it in a partially shaded part of your garden.

Basil

Basil is a sun-loving perennial. Depending on the variety, basil can grow between 1 and 5 feet tall while remaining relatively narrow. Basil contains compounds like eugenol and citronella, which make it another garden favorite for resisting pests like mosquitoes as well as flies.

Lavender

Lavender is a lovely perennial plant known primarily for its fragrance but also offers a host of pet repelling properties. Having said this, lavender can be very tricky to grow in North Texas. For lavender to successfully root and thrive, it needs very well-draining soil. The clay soils in our area contribute to poor yard drainage and make this challenging. We would recommend planting lavender in a container with sandy soil, which allows for excellent drainage.

Sage

Similar in appearance to many lavender plants, common sage is another summer-flowering perennial herb plant to deter mosquitoes. Staying relatively compact, sage will grow up to 1.5 feet tall and wide. Sage produces beautiful purple blooms in late spring and early summer.

Catnip

Primarily known for its effect on cats, the essential oil in catnip contains nepetalactone, which naturally deters mosquitoes. Similar to mint, catnip can take over your garden, so we would recommend keeping this herb planted in a container.

Thyme

Thyme is another fantastic choice for a mosquito-repelling herb. Thyme leaves release a citronella scent, which naturally keeps most pests away. In addition, thyme comes in many varieties; some are small bushy plants, while others are ground covers, making it a very versatile addition to your garden. Thyme should be planted in a very sunny area of your garden, which allows for excellent drainage.

Garlic

Garlic has long been regarded as an insect repellent. However, planting garlic takes a bit more planning than other plants, as it takes around 8 months to harvest. Garlic cloves are usually planted directly in the ground in October and then harvested the following May. While the garlic plant itself does have some mild insect-repelling qualities, the garlic clove itself is more commonly used in organic insecticidal sprays.