Bite Me - I Dare You

There are very few things I find more annoying than mosquitoes.

That's why I've made it a goal to research ways to repel

them naturally.  What I found surprised me.

I actually had several plants that experts suggest planting

to help ward off the little pests.

Originally I was on the hunt for lemongrass.

I searched for a good 3 month and wasn't able to get my hands on any.

So that's when I headed to the Internet to get some other options.

Here are 5 plants that repel mosquitoes:

1.  Marigolds -
You can find these little beauties in flower beds or planters during the summer months.  Some gardeners use them to deter other insects, besides mosquitoes, because they have a smell that unbearable to some insects.  All you need to do is plant the flowers in planters, just like you would any other time and then place them where you would like to prevent insect pests.

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2.  Catnip -
We all know that cats love this plant, but Catnip is also known to be a medicinal herb.  A lesser known trait this plant has is the ability to repel mosquitoes.  The oil in the leaves has been proven to be stronger than DEET.  All you need to do is plant Catnip around your patio and you will help repel the mosquitoes, but possibly gain some furry little cat friends.

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3.  Basil -
There are several different varieties of Basil, but the ones recommended to repel mosquitoes is either lemon or cinnamon Basil.  All you need to do is take a couple leaves and rub them on the exposed areas to keep the little buggers from bothering you.

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4.  Lavender -
Apparently many bugs don't like the smell of lavender.  I don't get it because it smells heavenly to me, but moving on - all you need to do is plant lavender near where you will be sitting.  Also, you can make natural insect repellent with it.

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 5.  Lemongrass - 
Although I couldn't find it, Lemongrass is the number one recommendation for repelling mosquitoes. 
Before activities, you brush the grass with your hand, and it releases more fragrance further repelling the pesky bugs.

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Some other helpful tips that I picked up from Gardening and More :

• Fix all drippy faucets, mosquitoes like to lay eggs in stagnant water.
• Drain birdbaths at least once a week.
• Drain your plant saucers at least once a week.
• Fire up the barbeque - mosquitoes don't like smoke.

Info I gathered is from eartheasy.com and canadiangardening.com .