Keep a pot of this flower at home, and mosquitoes, insects, rats, and ants will not enter the house.
Recently, the weather and temperature in most parts of the country have been suitable. Gardening friends in the north may find it a bit cold, while those in the south may still find it rather hot. Overall, it still feels quite comfortable. A while ago, when Huahua was checking the plants, quite a few scale insects were found, along with some fungus gnats. Gardening friends in the south have it worse, because temperatures are relatively high all year round and there are more mosquitoes and insects. There is a category of plants that contain some volatile oil components, or have a special scent, and insects run away as soon as they smell them. Let's take a look together.
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Insect-repelling plants
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Insect-repelling plants
Compared with some chemical products, the insect-repelling effect of plants is not very strong. Some volatile scents, because they cover only a small area, can only have an effect on a small area around the plant, so it definitely will not work for large-scale pest control. However, if we think about it differently, for some plants that are prone to pests, if we plant some insect-repelling plants, won't there be a lot fewer pests? Especially for gardening friends who have a yard, you can also plant some insect-repelling plants. Who wouldn't love a garden with fewer bugs and a light fragrance?
-Marigold-
Marigold is often hung under indigenous thatched huts in its place of origin to drive away swarms of flies. It is also planted among tomatoes, potatoes, and roses to prevent the grown flowers and fruits from becoming food for small nematodes, and many insects avoid it like the plague. So gardening friends who grow roses at home can plant a few marigolds nearby to reduce pests.
-Pyrethrum-
Pyrethrum is a perennial herbaceous plant in the Asteraceae family. Its fragrant flower heads are ground into powder and can form the active ingredient of insecticides, called pyrethrin or pyrethrum. Together with tobacco and derris, it is known as one of the "three major botanical pesticides." The pyrethrin it contains, also called pyrethroid, is a colorless, viscous oily liquid. When insects come into contact with it, their nerves become paralyzed, and they die from poisoning. Pyrethrum is not only the natural enemy of pests such as aphids, mosquitoes and flies, cabbage caterpillars, and cotton bollworms, but can also kill root-knot nematodes.
Between summer and autumn, pick pyrethrum flowers that are about to open, dry them in the shade, then grind them into powder and pass them through a 120-150 mesh sieve. Add 200-300 times the amount of water to each jin of pyrethrum powder, and add an appropriate amount of soap to make a suspension. After stirring evenly, spray it to control many agricultural pests.
-Mint-
Mint contains menthol, which has a special scent. Peppermint among mints contains more menthol, with a strong, fresh, slightly pungent smell. It can repel pests such as flies, fleas, gnats, chiggers, and ticks, and a few can be planted together with roses at home. Mint can also drive away pests such as cabbage moths, flea beetles, and aphids, improve the growing environment of cabbage and tomatoes, and even attract earthworms to loosen the soil with its scent.
-Catnip-
Catnip is a plant that can cause hallucinations in felines. After eating it, some cats may show temporary (5-15 minutes) behavioral changes, such as sneezing, chewing, rubbing, rolling, meowing, and babbling. Some cats chase imaginary mice after eating catnip, while others sit blankly staring into space. It is very amusing! Catnip can repel pests such as ants, aphids, Japanese beetles, squash bugs, and mice.
-Lantana-
The branches, leaves, and flowers of lantana have a very strong pungent smell and have a good repellent effect on common insects. The whole lantana plant is toxic, and its seeds and leaves can be used to make biological insecticides. It can be said that it not only has a good effect on repelling mosquitoes and flies, but also has bright and changeable flower colors. It has the reputation of "the seven-change mosquito-repelling flower" and has the dual function of repelling mosquitoes and flies and beautifying the courtyard. Be careful not to eat it by mistake!
-Nasturtium-
Nasturtium, also known as garden nasturtium or Indian cress, is native to South America and is a perennial trailing herbaceous flowering plant in the genus Tropaeolum of the family Tropaeolaceae. Its stems are upright, and its leaves resemble those of bowl lotus. When the creamy yellow flowers are in full bloom, they look like a flock of butterflies dancing, offering a unique charm. It is an important summer ornamental flower in gardens. Planting nasturtium next to cucurbit crops can drive away cotton aphids, whiteflies, cucumber beetles, and some other pests.
-Lily of the valley-
Lily of the valley is short in stature, elegant and beautiful, and pleasantly fragrant. It is an excellent potted ornamental plant, usually used in flower beds and flower borders, and can also be used as a groundcover plant. Its leaves are often used as cut flower material. There are varieties with milky white, pink, and variegated leaves. In autumn, the red berries are delicate and very attractive.
The lily of the valley plant contains toxic alkaloids and can repel pests such as cockroaches. Note that lily of the valley and lilac cannot be placed together, otherwise the lilac flowers will quickly wilt. If the lily of the valley is moved away, the lilac will return to normal. Lily of the valley also cannot be placed together with narcissus, otherwise both will suffer.
Actually, growing insect-repelling plants is only one aspect. On the other hand, maintaining good household hygiene is especially important. In particular, some corners should be cleaned regularly. Reducing damp, dark, and unventilated environmental conditions will lead to fewer pests. If pests are found, deal with them promptly to avoid cross-contamination. For soil-grown plants, avoid water accumulating at the bottom of the pot, and for hydroponic plants, change the water regularly!
Antibacterial plants
The fragrances released by plants such as rose, dianthus, lily of the valley, stock, rose, and osmanthus have a clear inhibitory effect on the growth and reproduction of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, pneumococcus, and Staphylococcus.
Thyme, lilac, jasmine, Aglaia odorata, osmanthus, crape myrtle, Chinese rose, and rose can release volatile oils with bactericidal effects.
Rose fragrance: relaxes the nerves, relieves physical and mental fatigue, and helps treat nervous system diseases.
Tulip: can relieve eye fatigue and eliminate irritability.
Orchid fragrance: relieves lung heat and phlegm cough, and is beneficial for people with neurasthenia, but it should not be too strong, otherwise it can also cause dizziness.
Michelia alba fragrance: can play a role in sterilization and purifying the air.
Chrysanthemum fragrance: can clear heat and dispel wind, clear the liver and brighten the eyes, and can be used as an auxiliary treatment for headaches.
Lilac: has an obvious ability to purify the air, and its bactericidal ability is very strong. Placing lilac indoors can prevent infectious diseases to a certain extent, but its fragrance is rich, so do not smell it too much, otherwise you will feel dizzy.
Narcissus fragrance: can make people feel calm and warm.
Some of the plants mentioned above have insect-repelling effects,
and some have antibacterial effects.
Any one of them is very good to have!
In addition, when choosing, also pay attention:
Quite a few flowers and plants are toxic, so those with young children or pets should choose carefully!
Show this to gardening friends who need it!