Last Updated on May 11, 2020 by April
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Warm weather is here, and you’ve been waiting a long time to enjoy your backyard. There is one big problem though, backyard pests. Depending on where you live, you may have to suffer through flies, mosquitoes, and even flea infestations. If this sounds like you, then it’s time to start adding pest-fighting plants to your yard.
Living in the desert, I have had to endure flies every summer. The worst part is they prey on your pets! I can’t even imagine how it must be for people who live in tropical climates, dealing with these insects year-round. If you are looking to take back your backyard, or maybe even your kitchen, then read on about pest-fighting plants that can help.
Sweet Basil
Sun: 6 hours of sun a day in a warm environment.
Water: Provide water at its base when soil is dry to the touch. Be sure not to water leaves.
Companion Plants: Tomatoes and parsley make great companion plants.
If you are looking for a beautiful aromatic plant to prevent flies as well as mosquitoes, then sweet basil is a great option. You can either place it inside near a window or outdoors in a flower bed.
Help this herb thrive by keeping its soil damp, well-drained, and allowing plenty of sun. It is suitable to be planted by itself or with other herbs that have similar maintenance needs.
Lavender
Sun: Full afternoon sun with shade in hotter climates help lavender grow.
Water: Lavender thrives in well-drained soil.
Companion Plants: Wild indigo, babies breath, aster, and sedum.
Want more sun-loving plants? Check out these drought-tolerant flowers and plants.
Lavender is probably one of my favorites because it not only prevents bugs; it helps me sleep every night. This drought-resistant plant is excellent for beginners and does very well with full sun and good drainage. It’s adaptable to different climates but does best in warmer weather.
Also, it looks GORGEOUS! If you are trying to get rid of fleas, moths, mosquitoes, and flies, then you need some lavender in your life. Just be aware that this fragrant plant does attract butterflies, but who doesn’t like butterflies?
Chrysanthemums
Sun: Full sun for at least 6 hours per day.
Water: Water with your lawn in the morning so the afternoon sun may dry leaves. Avoid leaving this plant wet too long.
Companion Plants: Dianthus plants and vegetables.
Use these stunning flowers to prevent ants, ticks, silverfish, lice, fleas, bedbugs, spider mites, harlequin bugs, root-knot nematodes, and even roaches. The blooms of chrysanthemums contain pyrethrum, which is a common ingredient in insect repellant and dog shampoo.
Give your garden protection that is effective and stunning to view. I recommend placing these in your vegetable garden to reap all of its benefits.
Petunias
Sun: Full or partial sun for a minimum of 6 hours per day.
Water: Thorough watering once a week is ideal as petunias don’t go well with constantly soggy soil.
Companion Plants: Beans, basil, grapes, and tomatoes.
These flowers come in a HUGE variety of colors, which is part of why they’re so popular. If you would like to repel aphids, tomato hornworms, asparagus beetles, squash bugs, and leafhoppers, then this is your answer!
Petunias prefer plenty of sun but will do just fine if you want to place them inside the home. If any insects decide to wander into your home, chances are they will find themselves stuck to the petunia’s sticky hairs. Eventually, the roots of this pretty flower will absorb nutrients from the unlucky bug.
Peppermint
Sun: Peppermint does well with a large range of sun, but prefers shaded areas.
Water: Keep soil moist but not soggy.
Companion Plants: Broccoli, kale, and cabbage.
Not only is mint a digestive aid, but it is also fantastic at preventing flies and mosquitos. Peppermint is toxic to mosquito larvae and will keep them from breeding. As a bonus, spiders can’t stand it and will stay away.
As a bonus, it smells truly divine. Just be careful planting mint, because it grows like crazy and can take over your yard.
Catnip
Sun: Full sun for 6 hours.
Water: Regular watering with well-drained soil.
Companion Plants: Pumpkin, squash, and beets.
This pest-fighting plant is a cat magnet, but it is quite the opposite for pests. Place this inside your home or in your yard to scare off mosquitoes. It will also prevent termites and cockroaches from taking over your home.
Tansy
Sun: Full sun is best, but will grow in partial shade.
Water: Well-drained, fertile soil.
Companion Plants: Corn, roses, squash, cucumber, and beans.
These marigold look-alikes are great at preventing flies, fleas, moths, mice, and ants. You can easily make a spray out of the tansy by combining 1 cup of fresh tansy leaves with 2 quarts of boiling water. Be sure to place your mixture into a heatproof container before transferring to a spray bottle. Do not drink this tea as it is toxic to consume. Use it as an insect repellant!
Citronella
Sun: Slightly shaded area, but will tolerate full sun.
Water: Citronella loves water and should be watered regularly to avoid drying out.
Companion Plants: Marigold, basil, and lavender.
Try some citronella if you want to be singing ‘Goodbye Mosquitoes!’ This low-maintenance plant does well to prevent flies as well. Its strong but pleasant scent is what makes it so popular to use in insect repellant and candles.
Lemongrass
Sun: Full sun for a minimum of 6 hours per day.
Water: Regular watering a bare minimum of every other day with misting.
Companion Plants: Mint, thyme, basil, cilantro, and lemon verbena.
Lemongrass works to repel flies and kills mosquito larvae. It requires full sun and smells divine. Be cautioned not to use this around pregnant women and new moms.
Yay, For Pest-Fighting Plants!
This list of pest-fighting plants has got me ready to go shopping. I love having tons of plants around my place, as it adds so much character and life to each space. Which pest-fighting plants are your favorite? Let me know in the comments!
cats is allergic to cat nip believe it or not but a lot of others on this list I really like will have to see what is available locally
That is very interesting! I will have to look more into that and learn. : )
Im from the tropics and knows lemongrass very well as we use it in cooking. Your picture is very different from lemongrass and looks like a spider plant on the ground.
I planted petunias in hanging baskets this spring, dont know bout you but mine dont really repel aphids, rather it got really infested that i had to cut it back extremely short-almost to the roots- just to save it 🙂
Hi Cleng!
I hope all is well. : ) Wow, yes, I remember when I lived in a more tropical climate. Bugs were tough and absolutely everywhere! Thank you for the heads up on the photo, it appears I had uploaded the incorrect file. All is fixed now and I greatly appreciate your feedback.
Plants can be difficult sometimes, at least for a person like me. I am still learning how to keep them healthy (and safe from my munching pets). Thank you so much for your comment and please take care!<3
Question about the Tansy tea. Can it be used as a spray-on or rub-on bug repellent on people? I have 2 large tansy plants in one of my raised beds. 🙂
These marigold look-alikes are great at preventing flies, fleas, moths, mice, and ants. You can easily make a spray out of the tansy by combining 1 cup of fresh tansy leaves with 2 quarts of boiling water. Be sure to place your mixture into a heatproof container before transferring to a spray bottle. Do not drink this tea as it is toxic to consume. Use it as an insect repellant!
I would love to see just a list (printable) of these plants. Thank you for all of the valuable info?!
Great information. I have Citronella and love it. So beautiful and really effective against mosquitoes.
Would like to know more about Lewiesia. (sp)
Yes an list would be great
I have a few of these this year. They help some. Just told my husband that next year we are going to have them all. I hate mosquitos.
Put up bird houses, and the mosquito population will greatly diminish. Swallows are great for that.
Kinda defeats the purpose of this article, doesn’t it? 😉
Helllo, I love ALL the beautiful plant. And my favorite one is the Lavender. I have a big back yard. And I may try some of these that is on the list. And thank you for this wonderful list too.
Very good information, thank you.
I have the first 5 and the citronella. We have not had as much of a problem this year as we have in the past. Now I know why!
Why lemon grass is not recommended for pregnant or new monst
I googled it and according to WebMD :
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: It is LIKELY UNSAFE to take lemongrass by mouth during pregnancy. Lemongrass seems to be able to start menstrual flow, so there is a concern that it might cause a miscarriage
It should be noted that some of these plants are spreaders and should be kept in pots or contained beds.
You can also buy citronella geraniums. Work awesome with the mosquitoes and are very pretty.
I copied the main information and put it so it can be easily copied and printed to take with you when you go shopping for plants.
Sweet Basil
Sun: 6 hours of sun a day in a warm environment.
Water: Provide water at its base when soil is dry to the touch. Be sure not to water leaves.
Prevents : Flies as well as mosquitoes.
Lavender
Sun: Full afternoon sun with shade in hotter climates help lavender grow.
Water: Lavender thrives in well-drained soil.
Companion Plants: Wild indigo, babies breath, aster, and sedum.
Prevents: Fleas, moths, mosquitoes, and flies Attracts butterflies
Chrysanthemums
Sun: Full sun for at least 6 hours per day.
Water: Water with your lawn in the morning so the afternoon sun may dry leaves. Avoid leaving this plant wet too long.
Companion Plants: Dianthus plants and vegetables.
Prevents: ants, ticks, silverfish, lice, fleas, bedbugs, spider mites, harlequin bugs, root-knot nematodes, and even roaches.
Petunias
Sun: Full or partial sun for a minimum of 6 hours per day.
Water: Thorough watering once a week is ideal as petunias don’t go well with constantly soggy soil. repel aphids, tomato hornworms, asparagus beetles, squash bugs, and leafhoppers
Companion Plants: Beans, basil, grapes, and tomatoes.
Repels: aphids, tomato hornworms, asparagus beetles, squash bugs, and leafhoppers
Peppermint
Sun: Peppermint does well with a large range of sun, but prefers shaded areas.
Water: Keep soil moist but not soggy.
Companion Plants: Broccoli, kale, and cabbage.
Prevents: Flies and mosquitos. Peppermint is toxic to mosquito larvae.
Catnip
Sun: Full sun for 6 hours.
Water: Regular watering with well-drained soil.
Companion Plants: Pumpkin, squash, and beets.
Scares off mosquitoes. It will also prevent termites and cockroaches from taking over.
Tansy
Sun: Full sun is best, but will grow in partial shade.
Water: Well-drained, fertile soil.
Companion Plants: Corn, roses, squash, cucumber, and beans.
Prevents: Flies, fleas, moths, mice, and ants. You can easily make a spray out of the tansy by combining 1 cup of fresh tansy leaves with 2 quarts of boiling water.
Citronella
Sun: Slightly shaded area, but will tolerate full sun.
Water: Citronella loves water and should be watered regularly to avoid drying out.
Companion Plants: Marigold, basil, and lavender.
Prevents: Mosquitos and flies\
Lemongrass
Sun: Full sun for a minimum of 6 hours per day.
Water: Regular watering a bare minimum of every other day with misting.
Companion Plants: Mint, thyme, basil, cilantro, and lemon verbena.
Repels: Flies and kills mosquito larvae.
Thanks Lisa from a Novice Gardener
Thanks from a new gardener 😀
Lisa, Thank you for copying it for us. I appreciate it.
I made my own list as well, super easy to copy. 🙂 Saved it to my gardening file for future use as well!
Thank so much for this info
My favorite is citronella. Last summer, I planted two behind my outside sofa. By the end of the summer, they were two beautiful bushes…smelled lovely!
This list is great! I live in Florida so believe it or not, my backyard is mainly shaded. I’m not bothered by mosquitoes but the rest of my family gets eaten alive. Do you know of any plants that repel flies and mosquitoes that don’t require as much sun?
I have most of these plants and mosquitoes litterally make nests (especially) in my mint, sweet basil and lavender plants. I wish I could find something that works…
How can I deter the rabbits from devouring my plants?
Hi. I have a bunch of bunnies in our surrounding woods. I’m a novice gardener, low on physical energy but determined. Planting veges & a pretty good size wild flower garden. I’ve decided to plant all the bunny’s favourites on the edge of the flower garden & nearest to their home. My hope is that they’ll fill up on their garden & spare mine. 🤷♀️ Have you since found any solutions?
Get some bars of Irish Spring soap! Using vegetable peeler, peel the soap and scatter where you don’t want bunnies eating. Bunnies and deer do not like the smell of the soap and should eat elsewhere. The soap will not harm your plants. Cinnamon works great to keep ants away!
Why is Lemon grass not good for pregnant women and new mothers?
I googled it and according to WebMD :
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: It is LIKELY UNSAFE to take lemongrass by mouth during pregnancy. Lemongrass seems to be able to start menstrual flow, so there is a concern that it might cause a miscarriage
Thank you so much for the help
☺️
Thank you for all of this useful information!! I shared it with all my friends, family and Church family!!
Thank you for tips on these flowers because I need each one of them for the past around my house thanks, now to find out where to buy them. Do you know of a place where I can buy these plants? If so please email me thanks.
Yellow Jackets have infested my yard this year, are there any plants to repel them? Prsky
Which ones are Perennials? I prefer but to have to re-plant every year. Thanks!
I had basil, peppermint, petunias n lavender in my garden and still those little white bugs plus snails.
How do you plant these , I noticed the planters I bought don’t have drainage, so should I put rocks on the bottom and then soil on top of the rocks?
What plants work best for outdoor patio at restaurant that not only repels flies and mosquito
but bees too?
We use coke cans to put in the bottom of our big pots. Bend then in half and add enough for about one third of your pot. Put you planting soil on top and plant away. This gives good drainage, cost nothing and is much lighter than adding rocks.
Would love ideas on plants that thrive in a sunny yard planted in the ground where we live in GA. We have “very nice” red clay for soil.😟 Repelling bugs + rodents is a plus, but having some beautiful greenery is a must.
The only thing that has done well in ground are my bulbs and zinnias.
You might try Lantana. It will tolerate a hot summer well, comes in many colors, it attracts butterflies and if you crush the leaves and rub on yourself it’s a natural mosquito repellent.
Very helpful, I have a raccoon problem, they steal my strawberries n walk on my others, they also attack n spill my bird feeders any ideas to help?? I don’t want to hurt them.
It might be worth setting out some food in a bowl for them. And a bowl of water, as they like to each their food. I know they eat cat and dog food, though I’m not sure if that’s super healthy for them. Still, if you set out door for them in a dish they’re less likely to bother your plants.
My uncle has been hand feeding the wild raccoons in his yard for years 🙂
Good luck!
We are in the middle of a major backyard overhaul, our dumpster rental is full of debris and dead plants. I’m really excited to plant some of these, especially the lavender, to keep the mosquitoes away, thank you!
Could you please leave the information as too whether it harms dogs and cats? Would really appreciate the information. Thank you!!
The citronella plants work amazing and if you plant them they will grow very big within a couple months. I planted mine on both sides of my patio and along my fence.
Thank you for the post. I have a garden and this is great to know the only thing that I would stress the importance of is to make sure that none of these are poisonous to dogs or people because Tansy is extremely toxic to humans and animals.
I love all these plants, I got some planted around my house and some in my house. They work really well!
I love all of them. I got some planted in my house and some planted around my house.
Tansy grows wild in Oregon and is considered very invasive, and toxic to livestock.
Hi are Tansy harmful to dogs I have one that likes to smell flowers
I also loved all the info on plants . Thank you do much.