Nothing takes the fun out of gardening faster than pests chewing through leaves, damaging vegetables, and making it harder to enjoy your yard. While chemical sprays can help, many gardeners prefer a more natural option that doesn’t leave them worrying about what they’re putting around their family, pets, or pollinators.
Many plants naturally discourage unwanted insects with their scent or natural compounds. Best of all, most are easy to grow and don’t need constant attention. Here are 15 plants that can help keep common garden pests in check.
Lavender
Lavender is loved for its fragrant flowers and silvery-green foliage, but insects aren’t nearly as fond of it. Its strong scent helps discourage mosquitoes, moths, fleas, and other unwanted visitors.
Plant it along walkways, near patios, or around outdoor seating areas where you’ll enjoy both the flowers and the fresh fragrance.
Related: 12 Common Garden Plants That Are Surprisingly Poisonous
Basil
Basil earns its place in both the kitchen and the garden. The leaves give off a scent that helps discourage flies and mosquitoes, making it a useful companion for outdoor living spaces.
Growing basil near tomatoes is a favorite pairing for many gardeners, and you’ll always have fresh leaves ready for cooking.
Marigolds
Marigolds are famous for bright blooms that last for months with very little care. Their distinctive scent helps discourage aphids, whiteflies, and cucumber beetles.
Many vegetable gardeners tuck marigolds between tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants to help reduce pest problems while adding plenty of color.
Chrysanthemums
Chrysanthemums contain pyrethrins, natural compounds that are widely used in many insect-control products. Growing these cheerful flowers can help discourage ants, roaches, ticks, fleas, and other insects.
Their long-lasting blooms also brighten garden beds late in the growing season.
Related: 15 Shade-Loving Plants Perfect for Growing Under Trees
Catnip
Catnip may attract neighborhood cats, but mosquitoes tend to stay away. Research has found that compounds in catnip are highly effective at discouraging these biting insects.
If wandering cats aren’t a concern, this easy-growing perennial can be a useful addition to sunny garden beds.
Garlic
Garlic does more than flavor your favorite recipes. Its strong smell helps discourage aphids, cabbage loopers, whiteflies, and several other common garden pests.
Planting garlic throughout vegetable beds can also attract helpful insects that feed on unwanted bugs.
Rosemary
Rosemary grows well in sunny locations with well-drained soil and asks for very little care once established. Its aromatic leaves help discourage mosquitoes, flies, moths, bean beetles, and carrot flies.
Fresh sprigs are always handy for cooking, making rosemary a practical choice for any garden.
Related: 12 Deer-Resistant Plants That Help Protect Your Garden
Mint
Mint spreads quickly and fills the air with a refreshing scent that many insects avoid. It helps discourage ants, aphids, and some caterpillars.
Since mint can easily take over a garden bed, many gardeners grow it in containers to keep it under control.
Petunias
Petunias produce colorful flowers from spring until frost with minimal attention. They are often planted near vegetables because they help discourage pests such as tomato hornworms, squash bugs, and potato beetles.
They work well in hanging baskets, containers, or garden borders.
Sunflowers
Sunflowers bring height and cheerful color to the garden while helping reduce problems with certain soft-bodied insects, including aphids and whiteflies.
Their large blooms also attract bees and other pollinators, making them a valuable addition to vegetable gardens.
Related: 10 Companion Plants That Help Protect Your Roses From Pests
Nasturtiums
Nasturtiums offer bright edible flowers and rounded leaves that bring plenty of color to garden beds. Many gardeners grow them near cucumbers, squash, and radishes because they help draw pests away from nearby crops.
Their peppery flowers and leaves can also be added to fresh salads.
Citronella Grass
Citronella grass is well known for its fresh citrus scent, which helps discourage mosquitoes around outdoor spaces. The plant grows best in warm climates and makes an attractive feature in large containers or garden beds.
Its fragrant leaves give the garden a tropical feel while serving a practical purpose.
Sage
Sage is another herb with a scent that many insects avoid. It helps discourage cabbage moths, carrot flies, and several other common garden pests.
The soft gray-green leaves are just as useful in the kitchen as they are in the garden.
Related: 12 Garden Plants That Help Prevent Weeds From Taking Over
Dill
Dill attracts beneficial insects such as ladybugs, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps, all of which feed on common garden pests. At the same time, its scent helps discourage aphids, spider mites, and squash bugs.
Plant dill near cucumbers, squash, or tomatoes for a helpful companion in the vegetable garden.
Onions
Onions naturally give off sulfur compounds that many insects find unpleasant. They help discourage aphids, carrot flies, cabbage loopers, and several other pests that target vegetables.
Plant onions throughout your garden beds to add another layer of natural pest protection, then enjoy the harvest in your favorite recipes.
