Natural remedies

joyce stem
9 September 2014

Mosquitoes do not like lavender, citronella, catnip, basil, marigolds, or pansy. Planting these in portable pots and shifting them around deck or garden seating areas can help discourage mosquitoes. Rubbing skin with the freshly plucked leaves of any one the plants—or a combination of them—also has a repellent effect.
You can also create your own essential oil that will repell mosquito’s made quickly by combining one cup of 190-proof grain alcohol with a total of 2 tsp. of any one of the following essential oils or a combination of them: rose geranium, pine, rosemary, lemon, juniper, citronella, palmarosa and myrrh. Mix the ingredients thoroughly and then rub or spray the solution onto skin.
And finally, the food you eat has an effect as well. I find that eating bananas, garlic or taking vitamin B can help naturally repel them too.
I have torches and candles made of citronella that I burn at night. It may attract other non biting bugs, but the mosquito’s don’t come around. I also steep catnip and make a strong tea, not only for my cats but to spray on my head and shoulders when working in the garden. I would try at least one of these remedies to see what works best for you.