Buzz Off

Don’t let mosquitoes spoil balmy summer evenings. Jane Griffiths has advice on growing your own anti-bug herbs.

- Jane Griffiths

Scented pelargoniums, lemon balm, lemon grass, lemon verbena and lavender not only smell nice – the really good news is that they repel mosquitoes. Grow them in pots and move them to where they are needed or plant them in your herb garden and use them to make an insect-repelling balm.

Lemon balm

Also known as melissa or bee balm, it bears small white flowers that bees love. Ancient Greek beekeepers would crush the leaves and rub them on the hives to encourage bees to return. (Melissa means ‘honeybee’ in Greek.) 

IN THE GARDEN 

This lemon-flavoured member of the mint family is hardy, requiring nothing more than an occasional trimming. It likes full sun to partial shade and plenty of moisture. After it’s flowered, cut it back to prevent it from becoming straggly. Lemon balm can be invasive, so keep an eye on it and divide the plant if necessary. In frost areas, it dies back in winter. Its strongly scented leaves repel many pests. Sprinkle the leaves around the base of vulnerable seedlings or on newly seeded areas.

Lemon grass