A Detailed Guide to Growing Mosquito Repellent Plant and Precautions

It is summer now, and whenever summer comes, mosquitoes come out too. Mosquito control is one of the important tasks of summer. Many people choose to place some plants with mosquito repellent effects at home, and mosquito repellent plant is one of the common varieties. Currently on the market there are mosquito repellent plants for sale, but how do you grow mosquito repellent plant? That is the question. The editor has gathered some information about growing mosquito repellent plant. Let us take a look:

Basic information about mosquito repellent plant

Mosquito repellent plant is also called mosquito repellent fragrant herb or transgenic scented geranium, mainly referring to transgenic scented geranium (Pelargonium graveolens). By using transgenic technology, the mosquito repellent gene—the citronellal gene structure—is inserted into the “herb”, using its own unique release system as a carrier to release citronellal substances into the air, while also inserting a DNA gene structure containing a fresh scent and air-purifying effect to form a “natural evaporator” and fill the surroundings with fragrance, achieving the mosquito repellent effect.

Scented geranium is a perennial herbaceous or shrub-like plant, reaching up to 1 m in height. The stem is upright, 80—90 cm tall, grayish green, woody at the base, fleshy in the upper part, densely covered with glossy soft hairs, fragrant, and very strong in vitality. The leaves have long stalks, are broadly heart-shaped ovate, with 5-7 palmate lobes, the lobes further divided, and the edges of the small lobes serrated; the flowers are small, densely arranged in small umbel-like inflorescences, opposite the leaves. The whole plant can be steam-distilled for aromatic oil and is often cultivated as an aromatic plant. Because of its fragrance, it is often grown in pots for ornamental display. Native to South Africa.

Actually, there is no such plant as mosquito repellent plant; it is merely a commercial name. The reason it is called “mosquito repellent plant” is that merchants wanted it to sell well.

Scented geranium varieties themselves do not have a mosquito repellent effect; only the artificially transgenic scented geranium has this effect.

Propagation methods of mosquito repellent plant

Mosquito repellent plant is usually propagated by sowing or cuttings, and cuttings easily survive in spring and autumn. In early March, sow the seeds into clean fine sandy soil at a depth of 3 cm. Four hours after sowing, water thoroughly, and afterward keep the potting soil moist, neither too dry nor too wet. In early spring, place it indoors in a warm, bright place. At a room temperature of about 20°C, it will germinate and root in about 1 month. Then divide and transplant, using ordinary culture soil in small pots to grow the seedlings. When the seedlings grow strong and white roots emerge from the bottom hole of the pot, use fertilized culture soil with some crushed hoof pieces placed at the bottom as base fertilizer, and transplant into chrysanthemum barrel pots for final planting.

Growing methods for mosquito repellent plant

1. Soil: Mosquito repellent plant prefers neutral to slightly acidic soil, generally fertilized once every 15-20 days. The mosquito repellent effect is best when the plant height is 30 cm and it has 40 leaves. Yellow leaves should be removed at any time. During the seedling stage, growth is extremely fast, so during the seedling stage, repotting should be done relatively frequently. Within 6 months, use a special self-mixed nutrient soil of 6 parts peat soil, 1.5 parts vermiculite, 1.5 parts perlite, and 1 part coal ash, with a pH that is slightly acidic to neutral. You can also buy ready-made commercial foliage substrate soil from the flower market (pH 5.5-7). After six months, the plant is extremely adaptable and can be grown in arbitrary soil. A two-year-old plant has a woody main stem and can be pruned and shaped into any form according to personal preference.

2. Temperature: The most suitable growing temperature for mosquito repellent plant is 10-25°C. It can overwinter safely above 0°C, and above 15°C it can normally release lemon fragrance. The higher the temperature, the stronger the fragrance released. Spraying an appropriate amount of water mist on the plant leaves can cause citronellal substances to be released continuously, thereby making the mosquito repellent effect better.

3. Light: Mosquito repellent plant prefers shade and does not tolerate strong light during growth. Especially in summer, shading must be strengthened, and it can be planted under trees or in shaded places. Household potted plants are generally placed indoors for cultivation.

4. Water and fertilizer: After each repotting, water once. Fertilization begins 10 days after the seedlings recover. Spring and autumn are the periods of vigorous plant growth. Use 20-10-20 and 14-0-14 water-soluble compound fertilizer at 200 ppm solution, applied alternately every 15 days. Watering should follow the principle of alternating dry and wet. In summer high temperatures, water less and do not fertilize, which helps the root system develop and improves disease resistance. For home cultivation, a small amount of cake fertilizer and rice washing water can also be applied.

5. Pests and diseases: Diseases caused by improper management include root rot or stem and leaf rot, followed by leaf shrinkage, black spots appearing, and then the whole plant shrinking. This is caused by too much humidity, too high temperature, and at the same time poor ventilation or excessive seedling density. Fungicides such as baijunqing or carbendazim (800 to 1000 times dilution) can be sprayed. But do not spray frequently.

Precautions for growing mosquito repellent plant

Sudden leaf drop in a short period is often caused by too great a temperature change or insufficient light. Leaves turning yellow and soon falling off are mostly caused by insufficient light and excessive watering. This phenomenon can also occur when the winter temperature is too low. Dry leaf tips or scorched leaf edges are sometimes due to too strong light or dry air, and sometimes caused by excessive fertilization or dry potting soil. Excessive growth of branches and leaves is mainly due to insufficient light, too much nitrogen fertilizer, and improper watering. It should be moved to a place with light and the branch shape should be pruned. Yellow spots or brown spots on the leaves that look like water stains may be the result of too forceful watering, with mud splashing onto the leaves and then being exposed to strong sunlight.

How do you grow mosquito repellent plant? The editor has introduced the growing methods and precautions for mosquito repellent plant in this article, hoping to help everyone. For more related information, please continue to follow information on other flowers.