Keep pesky mosquitoes away with plants

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Saturday, July 9, 2016
Keep pesky mosquitoes away with plants
Don't let mosquitoes ruin your backyard barbecues and other summer plans.

Don't let mosquitoes ruin your backyard barbecues and other summer plans. The pesky, uninvited guests are not just a nuisance, they also pose potential health risks. Mosquitoes can carry diseases such as Zika virus, West Nile virus, and others. But you don't need to use harmful chemicals around your home to keep them away.[br /][br /]The following plants repel mosquitoes, by releasing a horrible odor for the bugs, but people find the scent delightful:[br /][Ads /][br /][b]Basil:[/b] frequently used as a culinary herb[br /][b]Rosemary:[/b] similar to basil[br /][b]Catnip:[/b] common and easy to acquire[br /][b]Lavender:[/b] beautiful and can be made into a tea, salad dressing, or used many other ways[br /][Ads /][br /][b]Scented geranium:[/b] classic anti-mosquito plant with attractive flowers[br /][b]Citronella grass:[/b] uncommon plant with a recognizable name; oil produced by this grass is the same as found in citronella candles[br /][br /]The Director of the [url HREF="www.luriegarden.org" TARGET="_blank" REL="nofollow"]Lurie Garden[/url] in Chicago's [url HREF="www.millenniumpark.org[br /]" TARGET="_blank" REL="nofollow"]Millennium Park[/url] joined ABC 7 to show off the various plants, and their multiple uses.