While bees are helpful for pollinating our gardens, wasps are unwanted guests that most of us want to keep away.
Even if you’re not allergic to their stings, wasps can make spending time outdoors unpleasant. Fortunately, some plants can help deter wasps from your patio or garden while also enhancing your home’s exterior.
Edible Vegetables and Fragrant Plants
Certain fragrant plants and tasty vegetables can surprisingly repel wasps. Some of these plants also keep bees away, so if you want to keep your bee friends, choose a different plant for wasp control. These plants can also work together to keep other pests out of your garden.
1. Cucumber
Cucumbers are great in salads or as a snack, but wasps hate them. The acidic peels are bitter and unappealing to wasps.
If you live in a humid climate, you can grow cucumbers in your garden. Otherwise, you can place cucumber peels around your garden to keep wasps away.
2. Eucalyptus
People love the look and smell of eucalyptus, but bees and wasps do not. You can plant eucalyptus in your garden or in pots, but they need plenty of sunlight. Be cautious if you have pets, as eucalyptus is toxic to dogs and cats.
3. Basil
Basil is common in herb gardens and enhances food with its green color and scent, which also keeps wasps away. Basil needs a lot of heat and six to eight hours of sunlight daily. Plant it in well-drained soil to prevent root rot.
4. Wormwood
Wormwood deters wasps with its strong aroma. Be careful, as this plant can harm nearby plants, so keep it at a distance. Wormwood needs well-drained soil and lots of direct sunlight.
5. Citronella
Citronella is well-known for repelling mosquitoes, but its strong scent also keeps wasps away. It can grow indoors or outdoors with at least six hours of sunlight per day and well-drained soil.
6. Mint
Fresh mint smells great to people but not to wasps. Mint doesn’t need much sunlight, but it can take over your garden if not contained properly.
7. Pennyroyal
Pennyroyal, similar to mint, has a scent that repels wasps. It grows to about six inches to a foot in height, making it perfect for containers. Keep it watered and it will thrive.
8. Pitcher Plants
Unlike other plants, pitcher plants capture and digest wasps. They attract wasps with their flowers, and the wasps fall into a pool of water where they drown and are digested. Pitcher plants need direct sunlight and rainwater or distilled water to grow.
Flowers
Some flowers can also keep wasps and bees away. Wasps and bees are attracted to blue, yellow, or violet flowers, but you don’t have to avoid those colors entirely. Here are two flowers that repel wasps:
9. Marigold
Marigolds are attractive and their smell repels wasps and other insects. They are easy to grow and require little maintenance.
10. Geraniums
Geraniums have a scent that is unpleasant to wasps. They need four to six hours of sunlight daily and can be grown indoors or outdoors.
Using these plants, you can enjoy your garden without the annoyance of wasps.