Quick Tip: Grow Herbs in the Garden to Prevent Pests

By Jennifer Poindexter

If you have a garden, you have pests. It’s part of the circle of life. Gardens provide food and shelter to a range of insects.

What can you do about it, though? You must keep a close eye on your garden to ensure no plants are being ravaged by any bug sharing the same area.

If they are, you’ll need to act quickly by using a pesticide, soapy water, or hand-picking the pests from your plants.

However, you may also practice preventative maintenance by planting herbs in your garden. Here’s why you might consider doing this:

Quick Tip: Grow Herbs in the Garden to Prevent Pests

If you have a garden space where you’d like to practice preventative maintenance, consider growing herbs amongst your flowers and vegetables.

The reason being is the fragrance of many herbs helps deter a variety of bugs. Let’s discuss a few:

Garlic is a fragrant, easy-to-grow plant that’s great for keeping gnats and spider mites out of your growing area.

Our next plant to discuss is basil. This plant is great for keeping mosquitoes, hornworms, house flies, spider mites, and aphids out of your home and garden. 

Next, is sage. If you have an issue with snails, you may consider growing this plant near anything which snails draw to.

You may also add a layer of diatomaceous earth and coffee grounds beneath the impacted plants as this also keeps snails away.  

Sage is great for keeping flea beetles, carrot flies, and cabbage moths away from your crops, too. 

Next up is mint. Be mindful when growing mint as it easily spreads. It’s usually recommended to grow this herb in a container to control it.

When growing mint, know that it’s a useful plant. Its fragrance keeps flies, fleas, spiders, cabbage moths, squash bugs, white flies, ants, and aphids away. 

If you’re more interested in utilizing herbs to keep pests off your patio where you’re enjoying a smaller container garden, then consider adding lemongrass or citronella to the mix. 

These herbs are known for keeping mosquitoes away which could help you enjoy your outdoor spaces over summer when these pests are a common issue. 

Lastly, two of the most common pests in the garden are aphids and spider mites, so I wanted to discuss a few herbs which specifically work towards keeping them away. 

Chives, leeks, catnip, dill, and cilantro are all known for deterring aphids Lavender, rosemary, eucalyptus, and lemon balm are all known for keeping spider mites away.

Spider mites don’t like spaces with strong odors. By planting herbs which produce such fragrances, it should keep them out of your garden. 

When considering preventative options when protecting your garden, herbs are a great place to begin.  

Their unique fragrances are great for not only cooking and making beautiful bouquets, but also for serving as natural pest repellent as well. 

More About Using Herbs for Pest Prevention

https://ipm.cahnr.uconn.edu/herbs-greenhouse/

https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/herbs/