Mosquitoes in Your Garden? Try Planting These

If you are a serious gardener, you spend lots of time outdoors. And, for sure, you would rather be tending your plants than swatting mosquitoes.

While there are many things you can do to keep mosquitoes away, there are some plants that will beautify your yard and help repel mosquitoes.

Catnip Plants

As one more way to keep mosquitoes away from you and your yard, try planting these attractive plants.

HORSEMINT

Horsemint has a scent similar to citronella. Horsemint grows wild in most of the Eastern United States, from Mexico, Texas up to Minnesota to Vermont. It is partial to sandy soils and will grow in USDA Zones 5-10. Native Americans used it as a treatment for colds and flu. It has natural fungicidal and bacterial retardant properties because it's essential oils are high in thymol.

ROSEMARY

This wonderful herb we use for seasoning is also a great, natural mosquito repellant. It has been used for centuries to keep pesky mosquitoes away. Rosemary is a native of the Mediterranean, so it likes hot, dry weather and well-drained soil. It is hardy in USDA zones 8-10, and must be grown as a pot plant in colder climates. If you happen to live in a part of the country where rosemary does not grow, you can get a good quality rosemary essential oil; mix 4 drops with ¼ cup olive oil. Store in a cool, dry place. When it comes to fresh plant oils as natural mosquito repellants, there is every reason to have the plant in your yard, if they will grow in your area. It is an inexpensive and attractive way to boost the appearance of the landscape and have natural mosquito repellants on hand as well.

MARIGOLDS

Organic gardeners have used marigolds as companion plants to keep aphids away. Mosquitoes don't like its scent any better (and some humans feel the same way). Marigolds are sun-loving annuals that come in a variety of shapes and sizes for almost any landscape. They are quite easy to grow from seed.

AGERATUM

This charming little bedding plant contains coumarin, and mosquitoes detest the smell. It is used in the perfume industry and is even in some commercial mosquito repellants. Don't rub ageratum on your skin, though. It has some other less desirable elements that you don't want to keep on your skin in quantity. Ageratums are annuals, and the come in a muted blue and white that compliments most other plantings.

MOSQUITO PLANTS

There are two types of plants that are called mosquito plants. One is a member of the geranium family that was genetically engineered to incorporate the properties of citronella. Citronella only grows in tropical places, but it is a well known repellant for mosquitoes. This plant was created to bring the repellant properties of citronella into a hardier plant. It will grow where any geranium will thrive. Many have questioned its usefulness as a mosquito repellant, but it is attractive enough to warrant planting for it's ornamental value.

The other kind of mosquito plant is agastache cana. Its common names include Texas hummingbird mint, bubblegum mint, giant hyssop, or giant hummingbird mint. As you might guess, hummingbirds are quite attracted to it.

It is a New Mexico native, also found in parts of Texas. It is, in fact, a member of the mint family and its leaves do have a pungent aroma when crushed. In its native habitat, it is perennial, and is usually hardy in USDA Zones 5a-9a. It blooms late summer to early fall, so it catches hummingbirds on their annual migration. The long, medium pink flowers reel in butterflies as well.

CATNIP

One of the most powerful mosquito repellant plants is ordinary catnip. Recent studies have shown that it is ten times more effective than DEET at repelling mosquitoes. It is a short lived perennial throughout most of the United States. It is easy to grow from seed, and quickly reseeds. Aside from its intoxicating effects on cats, the leaves make a very soothing tea.

With all of these plants, the leaves must be crushed to release the aroma. Otherwise mosquitoes can't smell them. And, with rosemary and catnip, you can simply crush a few leaves and rub on your skin and clothing to enhance the effect.

So, next time you are revising your plantings, consider using some of these attractive plants to do more than just enhance the landscape. You can have pretty ornamentals that also drive mosquitoes away.

Mosquitoes in Your Garden? Try Planting These

Indoor seed starting update 2 weeks after planting seeds - 14 days later - growing plants

Indoor seed starting update 2 weeks after planting seeds - 14 days later - growing plants Video Clips. Duration : 5.17 Mins.

Indoor seed starting update: 2 weeks later So we are 2 weeks out from planting our seeds and will soon transfer these seedlings into the larger raised garden beds outside. For now all the plants are doing great and have all germinated and grown into very healthy looking herbs and vegetables. I plan on transplanting the tomatoes into cardboard toilet paper rolls as to let the stem of the tomato plants grow more roots - (the stem of a tomato will grow roots if you bury it, which make them stronger plants.) I plan on starting more seeds indoors about 2 weeks after planting these for successive crops. I will do this three times, which should let us eat well over a longer period of time.

Keywords: fluorescent lights, growing food, seeds, indoor seed starting, plants, herbs, orgainc, tomatoes, cat nip, germinating, Arizona, Adventures

All New Square Foot Gardening - Companion Planting

Organic vegetable gardening means that you will not be spraying toxic chemicals on your fresh food, and you won't be spreading chemical fertilizers on the ground. If you don't do that, how do you keep your garden from becoming a bug feast or prevent sparse, low quality crops?

Companion planting is the solution. Companion planting can be described as growing two or more different kinds of plants close together so that some benefit is derived, like repelling pests, attracting beneficial insects, adding needed nutrients to the soil, or providing shelter

Catnip Plants

Some plants give off scents or chemicals that repel insects, insects like worms and beetles that can destroy your garden. Other plants help prevent disease or attract insects, which are beneficial to plants. And some plants are exceptional at breaking down the soil and helping other plants absorb vital nutrients. Essentially companion planting is used to help your core plants thrive without chemicals.

An example would be planting corn and beans together. Corn removes nitrogen from then soil while growing. Beans fix nitrogen back into the soil while growing and help the corn

I'll provide a warning though to people who would plant beans in with their corn. Bean varieties include pole beans (climbing beans) and bush beans (non-climbing beans). Do NOT plant pole beans in with your corn. The climbing beans will create a twisted and leafy jungle around your corn plants, making it difficult to harvest the corn.

Companion Planting Suggestions

Marigolds have a very strong fragrance. Many insects find marigolds quite distasteful including nematodes (roundworms), whiteflies, beetles, and aphids. To use marigolds as a companion plant, plant them at the perimeter of your square foot garden box. Take care to not plant them too closely to your vegetables because they do attract spider mites and slugs.

Nasturtiums or wormwood are good when planted close to the cabbage family as they attract the white cabbage moth away from the plants. Nasturtiums are also very helpful when planting broccoli

If you're growing tomatoes, geraniums repel cabbage worms, Japanese beetles, and leafhoppers. If you're planting corn, grapes, peppers or cabbage, geraniums are also beneficial.

If you intend to grow tomatoes, planting garlic with them is a good idea. Planting them with carrots is a bad idea because the tomatoes will stunt the growth of the carrots. Avoid planting dill and kohlrabi near tomatoes, because they slow tomato growth.

Horseradish is good with potatoes.

Parsley is good with tomatoes.

Santolina is a good insect repellent, especially for spinach and lettuce.

Thyme is a good protective border for the vegetable garden and repels fruit moths.

Keep ants away? Catnip, Mint, Onion, Peppermint, Spearmint, Tansy, Wormwood.

Slug repellent? Artemisia, Fennel, Garlic, Rosemary, Sage (Fennel is harmful to most plants especially beans, cucumbers and tomatoes)

When you don't want flypaper in your garden - Basil, Pennyroyal, Rue, Tansy (also repels Aphids and greenfly)

Don't Forget The Bees

You need bees and other pollinating insects if you are:

planting tomatoes planting potatoes planting beans planting pumpkins

Bees are attracted by most flowers because they collect nectar to make honey and pollen to feed to the larvae. Going from flower to flower to collect as much as they can before going back to the hive, they take pollen from one plant to the next and help with plant fertilization as they go. Flowering plants are important in a vegetable patch. Some of the best include: allysium, red clover, Queen Anne's lace, cosmos, coriander, parsley flowers, dill, small daisies and lucerne.

Happy eating!

All New Square Foot Gardening - Companion Planting

Planting This Years Catnip Crop

Planting This Years Catnip Crop Tube. Duration : 4.63 Mins.

All the catnip we picked last years gave us a lot of seeds for this years crop. Found a great new rocky hill to plant on.

Tags: catnip, info, seeds, crop, planting, gardening, soil, rocks, kitty, cat

Planting your vegetable garden companion

Companion planting is the method to grow different plants together for a healthy coexistence. Benefit Plants are not always affected by pests and diseases. In essence, encourages this type of system, the growth of all plants. The nasturtium seeds with cabbage, beans and peas is fantastic, because it attracts aphids away. Companion planting is natural and minimizes the use of chemical fertilizers and sprays. In some trial and error you canForm a good plan. In your garden, it is extremely useful if you want to increase the yield. The exact combination of vegetables planted in growth opportunities, reduce disease and promote beneficial organisms thrive in the garden.

Planting herbs with vegetables also discourages pests from a strong smell of natural herbs. For example, use rosemary with bean weevils from the Ward-beans. Similarly, rosemary, sage, thyme and mint along with the cabbageto prevent moth attack cabbage. If you decide to basil, you will benefit many. Basil keeps the flies away from potatoes. Chives planted to discourage aphids, mint prevent ants protect the garlic and horseradish potato blight and prevent the potato beetle.

Catnip Plants

Companion planting vegetables helps to keep the parasites of other vegetables. For example, rhubarb, beans, leeks and black fly prevention protects against flying carrot carrots coming close. Other popular categoriesThis type of system are: celery, cabbage moths, which takes away from tomatoes and asparagus beetles help. Some vegetables have chosen to live with other vegetables selective. So you must be careful when planting these.

Asparagus is very common in this type of system, since it goes well with most vegetables. However, planting asparagus with tomato, parsley and basil is perfect for the whole group. Bush beans are ideal for planting potatoes, cucumbers, corn,Celery and strawberries. But not the planting of the seeds of bush think onions. The two stop mutual growth. With this type of system, the protection and onion salad with radicchio protect beet. The planting of the cabbage family (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and green cabbage), along with beets, celery, cucumbers, lettuce, onions, potatoes and spinach is particularly advantageous. But the planting of cabbage-family with dill, strawberries, pole beans and tomatoes will have side effects. Carrots areideal for systems with a variety of vegetables such as peas, celery, cucumbers, lettuce, rosemary, sage and onion, but should not be grown with dill.

Celery plant seems to be more friendly. It goes well with almost all vegetables, but has a special predilection for the asparagus. Plants also salad with carrots, cucumbers and strawberries produce creates the good. On the other hand, corn is a rebel against tomatoes, but love to grow potatoes, beans, peas andPumpkin.

There are several flowering plants that can be used in plants and vegetables. Zinnias prevent infestation of parasites, if used, is planted with cucumbers, melons and pumpkins. Plant marigolds with beans helps to protect the beans.

The list of plants used in the company of plants is long and some are:

Borage is to plant tomatoes and strawberries are used. And 'magnetized bees and wasps, and also adds valuable minerals from the soil.

Catnipmaintains, ants roaches and mice, and has a sweet scent.

Chives on the desire and the development of carrots and tomatoes. Prevents scab when planted with apple trees.

Coriander repels aphids toe with some vegetables, potato beetles and mites.

Peas help to enrich the soil with nitrogen, which is very useful for a variety of other plants.

Parsley with tomatoes and asparagus beetles to attract hoverflies and defend.

TheMenthol in peppermint has had to good use, as it repels moths, cabbage aphids and flea beetles, bees and beneficial insects, but inviting.
Planting radishes with the squash plant protection against insects that eat the fleshy vegetables.

Companion planting is the mantra for organic farming. The exercise used to improve the production of your garden.

Planting your vegetable garden companion

4 Tips for planting herbs outside

Herb gardening can be very nice to have a chef of fresh herbs all year round. Potting interior during a cold spell of winter, but the bitter herbs on their own space so if you can plant outdoors is preferable.

Get a beautiful plant with different herbs is nice, but let the herbs from the pot and in his room, and you will be amazed how well grow to be excited.

Catnip Plants

A herb garden outside needs at least 6 hours of sun a day, coriander, mint, dill andChives grow to tolerate less sun. Some of the herbs that are planted each spring should be, chamomile, basil, coriander, cumin, fennel and dill. If you opt for potted plants, you need pot size that use at least twice the size of the structure, you may also need a pot large pots again.

If you want a garden that herbs have been reported every year, you should plant perennials like, catnip, chives, lemon balm, oregano, mint, lovage,marjorim, lavender, thyme, tarragon, rosemary and sage.

Now plan a beautiful herb garden, consider the space in your garden that would be near the kitchen for easy cutting and kitchen and a dining area for the flavors of fresh herbs, your guests while they wait for you love to cook a culinary delight, they are not forgotten.

Herbs can also be dried for tea bags and bag perfume.

4 Tips for planting herbs outside

Companion planting

Companion planting is a traditional method of vegetable gardening involves planting two or more close to each other to protect and support to parasites, both air and ground crawler. This process ensures a strong growth, higher yields, by repelling pests or predators of common pests draws. Learn which plants take a couple little man of trial and error. For example: Anis seems to germinate best when grown with coriander, coriander, but not growingalso find anise. Garlic scares Japanese beetles, but if planted close to something in the family of peas and beans, inhibit growth.
One of the most compelling reasons for the plantation company to use technology is the ability of some plants to attract beneficial insects.

Benefits are those who are different from common garden pests such as aphids and caterpillars. beneficial insects are considered the good guys are and why gardeners are warned not to spray insecticidesat random.

Catnip Plants

beneficial to include, but are not limited to:

a) parasites - feed on pesky aphids, caterpillars and larvae.

b) lacewing larvae - feed on aphids.

c) the beetle larvae - feed on aphids.

d) Ground beetles - feed on ground-dwelling pests.

e) hover flies and robber flies - feed on insects, including leafhoppers and caterpillars

The insects have different nutritional needs at different stages and cyclesDevelopment so that a variety of plant materials are needed to bring in your garden. While looking for insects do, and eat pests, there may be certain times during their life cycle, that their diet consists mainly of nectar and pollen. The attraction of these insects in your garden, you must provide a shelter for the host plants and even plants.

Variety and diversity both in plant material and seasonal availability are crucial. The hedges are used toserve this function. L ', shrubs, trees and weeds would be out of the first leaf spring and the first fruits as food sources.

The hedges are rare today, but most backyard gardeners could plant fruit trees or flowering of the body and shrubs and perennials that have something in bloom throughout the season to add the edge of the yard or garden that not only the beauty to your garden but also promote the presence of beneficial insects to gardens as well.

L 'the following conditions are agreeable to attract beneficial insects:

a) low-growing plants as a cover for ground beetles (thyme, rosemary, or mint).

b) Shady, protected areas to lay their eggs.

c) the flowers are very small for small wasps, such as fennel, angelica, coriander, dill, Queen Anne's Lace, clover, yarrow, and rue.

d) Composite flowers (daisy and chamomile) and peppermint (mint, peppermint or catnip) Tighten the predatory wasps, hover flies and robberFlies.

In addition to the harm this can do for us pesticides pollute the air, water, soil, plants and animals. Learn how to combat pests without chemicals is a good way to help not only health but also the land and animals that live nearby.

Companion planting is the gardening method involves planting trees of two or more close to each other to protect and support on the ground and crawling pests air. Companion planting promotesstrong growth, higher yield and repelling pests or predators of common pests draws. Trial and error is involved in determining the pair mate. Companion planting is worth and, of course, the protection of people and the environment and serves to help the country and animal habitats in the area.

Copyright © Larry Gildea, All Rights Reserved.

Companion planting