Here is how to plant flowers for pest control.
Flowers are known to offer a variety of benefits. These range from healing common conditions like colds, serving as mood improvement therapy, improving memory, aiding relaxation, and also increasing energy.
Although these benefits are very important, our focus isn’t on any of these.
Rather, we’re interested in discussing how flowers protect from pests. Do they? Flowers absolutely provide pest protection.
However, not all varieties do as we’ll be discussing shortly.
List of Flowers for Pest Control
There are lots of flowers with pest repellent properties. These can be easily considered for pest control.
Here, our focus will be on a few as there are so many that space and time won’t allow us fully exhaust.
These flowers include lavender, clover, marigolds, borage, and chrysanthemums. Others include citronella, basil, petunias, rosemary, dahlias, and sunflowers. So, how do these flowers provide pest control?
Let’s discuss;
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Lavender
Lavender flowers are known to have a variety of uses which can be categorized into food products, aesthetic value as well as pest control among others.
Apart from the beauty, lavender plants give off a strong pleasing aroma that keeps away a variety of pests.
These range from mosquitoes, fleas, and moths among so many others. You only need to have these planted in your garden as well as the surroundings. One great way to start is by planting a hedge around your home’s perimeter.
This helps create a no-go area for a lot of pests.
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Clover
If you’ve never heard about this flower before, this brief description should help. Clover is a common soil cover that grows in many similar ways to grass. One of its most popular varieties has tiny pink flowers.
So, where exactly should you be planting your clover? It’s mostly used on garden beds as a great ground cover.
Common garden pests such as aphids and cabbageworm are repelled by it.
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Marigolds Pest Control
Marigolds are scented flowers that are widely used. Part of its many uses includes serving as a natural pest control remedy. You might wonder what repellent properties are possessed by marigolds.
Like most flowers in this category, its scent drives away all sorts of pests.
This scent is very pleasing to humans. When used for companion planting in the garden, whiteflies have a difficult time getting to your tomatoes. What more?
Marigolds are effective soil cover plants.
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Borage
Borage is an edible herb that also doubles as a natural remedy against pests. Its flowering parts are star-shaped.
Apart from being used as food, the best way to use borage for pest control is through companion planting in your garden.
When planted alongside other garden crops or plants, borage helps ward off all sorts of destructive worms such as cabbage worms and hornworms. Thus, allowing your crops to grow free of diseases mostly transmitted by pests.
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Chrysanthemums
One of the common things known about these flowers is their beauty. These multi-colored plants are very appealing.
Chrysanthemums are widely used for ornamental or decorative purposes. While this is true, it has additional uses part of which includes pest control.
These flowering plants contain pyrethrin, a chemical compound known to be very toxic to insect pests.
Does this toxicity extend to animals and humans? Not at all! By planting chrysanthemums around your surroundings, you’re in effect creating an unfavorable condition for pests.
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Citronella
Are you seeking an alternative to the flowers mentioned above?
Then citronella might serve your pest control needs. The scent given off by this flower, though pleasing for most people is hated by a lot of insect pests. Plus, it contains essential oils that repel mosquitoes.
Whether you’re looking for a flowering plant to ‘pot’ or grow on the ground, citronella serves all such needs.
However, for citronella to grow well they’ll need to plant in open areas with sufficient sunlight as well as in well-drained soils.
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Basil
If you’re facing a fly and mosquito problem, an effective solution for such involves planting basil flowers. This herbal plant is great for the outdoors and should be planted around entrances.
The pleasant scent given off by basil annoys pests hence driving them away.
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Petunias
Petunias serve as an excellent alternative to insecticides and provide the needed protection against a wide range of destructive pests. Some of the most common pests that may destroy your garden plants include asparagus beetles, aphids, cabbage worms, and hornworms.
With Petunias, they do not stand a chance as the strong scent released overwhelms pests, thus driving them off.
Companion planting is a great way to use petunias to your advantage. Before long, your garden should be free of these pests.
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Rosemary
Apart from mosquitoes, several other destructive insect pests detest the presence of rosemary plants.
As a gardener, one of the easiest and natural ways to tackle a pest problem is by planting rosemary in your garden.
The scent given off is pleasant to humans and animals but irritating to a lot of pests. As such, the best way to fight back will be to have these planted (whether potted or directly) within your garden alongside other plants you wish to protect.
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Dahlias
Dahlias are colorful plants that help beautify your home’s surroundings.
Apart from the visual appeal they bring, dahlias also serve an important purpose; warding off a variety of pests. Due to its many benefits, dahlias have become the gardener’s favorite.
You only need to have these planted around your home and/or garden. The presence alone does the magic as you won’t have to be worried about using harmful chemicals and insecticides.
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Sunflowers
One of the characteristics of sunflowers that stands out is their large flowers. These plants are a beauty to behold and improve the looks of your surroundings. Other benefits include serving as a pollinator base, especially for butterflies.
More importantly, sunflowers protect against several types of pests including aphids. With these around your home, you should experience a drop in pest issues.
Conclusion
If you’ve been looking for flowers to use for pest control, the above-listed plants will give you the much-needed relief you seek. You have the option of choosing one or more of these plants to be grown around your home.