Creating a Pretty Mosquito Repellent Planter for Your Porch

This beautiful and practical mosquito repellent planter is the perfect addition to your front porch this summer. It is filled to the brim with a beautiful and fragrant mix of mosquito repellent plants and herbs, including citronella, sage, mint, and lavender!

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I love creating a variety of mixed containers each year on my porch. It is one of my favorite pastimes, sitting out on the porch with some coffee or a cool drink and enjoying the summer weather.

Unfortunately, mosquitoes love me. And if you’re here, they probably love you, too.

This year, I decided to try out a method for a mosquito repellent planter using mosquito fighting herbs and plants, hoping this would help combat these common pests! An added bonus to this is that it is a more of an alternative measure to all of the bug sprays. Although admittedly not as effective, it is a nice chemical alternative to commercial insect repellants.

Set this container on a picnic table or near a seating area to enjoy beautiful blooms and a mosquito free outdoor experience all summer long.

Quick List of Mosquito Repellant Plants

There are many different plant and herb varieties available that can serve as a natural mosquito repellant! From lemon balm to sweet basil, there is a lovely collection of common plants to choose from when creating a beautiful and practical container for your outdoor living space.

Citronella- I used citronella geranium, but citronella grass also works well too if you can find it! It is one of the best, if not the best plant for combating those pesky mosquitoes, and is a key ingredient in any mosquito repellent planter.

Peppermint- really any member of the mint family will work! I used a combination of peppermint and orange mint in this container. They make beautiful green foliage accents!

Sage, Rosemary, and Basil- These popular herbs are not only great in the kitchen-they also all have strong smells. While most of us enjoy the smells that each of these plants bring, the mosquitoes do not.

Lavender- A beautiful centerpiece in any container, the fresh scent of lavender is a welcome addition to any landscape! This common herb also harnesses a lot of mosquito fighting power due to the strong smell. And bonus? The honey bees love it!

How to Plant

For this planter, I made sure to choose a variety of plants with different foliage accents and textures. I wanted some color and delicious fragrance, which is why I chose lavender as the centerpiece. Citronella was also a must-have due to its insect-repelling properties. Sage, mint, and rosemary were welcome additions for their additional mosquito fighting power, as well as their interesting foliage. They also work well in the kitchen for cooking, or even for uses in homemade soaps, cleaners, and more!

Growing Tips for Container Planting

This container will perform best in full sun to partial shade.

It is essential for any container that it has good drainage. Not only is this best practice just in general, but mosquitoes love standing water. Stagnant water creates a great breeding ground for them, which is definitely something you don’t want!

I love to make sure I am using a good quality soil mix, as well as watering and fertilizing regularly (my favorite all purpose fertilizer is linked here). It is also a good idea to prune back any dead leaves you may find throughout the growing season.

Other Themed Container Ideas

Spaghetti Planter

Add basil, oregano, garlic, and your favorite tomato plant(s) to a container for an all in one planter to create a delicious homemade spaghetti sauce.

Salsa Planter

One of my personal favorites! Add tomatoes, jalapenos, favorite herbs (think cilantro, parsley, even oregano) to create a planter ready for delicious homemade salsa.

Pin it For Later!

If you liked this post, be sure to come back and leave a comment! I would love to learn about your own container garden ideas.

Rachael