You have the ultimate summer dinner party planned. The menu has been perfected, your backyard has been flawlessly decorated and primed for entertaining, and your happy guests begin to trickle in. There is only one teeny, tiny, little thing that can put a damper on your evening fun…mosquitoes.
Unfortunately, when hosting outdoors during the summer months you run the risk of having unwanted pests show up. Many of the commercial mosquito repellants available are heavy on the chemicals, leaving a strong odor that may deter mosquitoes, but it can also bother your guests. Rest assured that, with these natural alternatives, you won’t have any mosquitoes crashing your party, and your guests will be none the wiser to the natural preventative measures you’ve taken.
If you pride yourself on having a green thumb, it may be wise to include some naturally mosquito-repelling plants and herbs in your backyard garden. The following plants are easy to grow, smell great, and are known to keep mosquitoes away:
Committing to keeping a mosquito-repelling garden alive all summer long may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Luckily, the plants and herbs mentioned above are easy to find pre-clipped and ready to use at your local farmers market. Incorporating these plants into a floating candle DIY is affordable, functional, and looks intentional as part of your outdoor décor. All you need are a few simple items to make these decorative mosquito repelling candles:
Simply stack your lemon and lime slices, add your desired fresh herbs, then fill the rest of the jar with water. Add 10-15 drops of essential oils and give the water a quick stir. Add your floating candle to the top and light it right before your guests begin to arrive. This DIY has extra benefits because, in addition to the mosquitoes disliking the fragrance, they will also be repelled by the smoke from the candles.
If you or your guests are especially sensitive to mosquitoes, it may be a good idea to have a topical repellant that can be sprayed directly onto the skin. There are many safe recipes that you can use to create your own custom mosquito repelling spray, but here are a few combinations to start you off:
If you are crunched on time, this may be the quickest and easiest natural mosquito repellent to add to your outdoor space. Simply pick up whole lemons and limes, along with a jar of dried cloves, and puncture the cloves into the fruits. Mosquitoes are adverse to citrus scents, and the cloves help to disperse the aroma. You can keep this one simple, or feel free to get creative with the design of the cloves. You can scatter these throughout the tablescape, cluster them in bowls, or even tie ribbons on them and hang them from trees or awnings. No matter how you choose to display these, they will pass as a fragrant and functional addition to your décor.
Whether you are looking to entertain a group, or simply relax and enjoy your backyard on a warm summer evening, there is no reason to let mosquitoes derail your plans.
Do you have any natural remedies to keep pests out of your yard? Leave us a comment with your go-to natural repellents.
Like what you see here? Sign up for more! Our free e-newsletter informs you of listings in your community, insider real estate tips, the latest in home trends, and more.
July 16th, 2018 at 11:00 am