Last updated on October 23rd, 2023 at 08:44 pm
Flies are annoying and can transmit a variety of diseases when they visit. Even the cold season does not protect against the potential germ slingers. A few warm rays of sunshine are enough to wake the insects from their torpor. In the house, the winged pests are often on the move all year round. The use of chemical products can provide short-term relief, but is not always recommended and can cause lasting damage to the environment. With the right herbs and plants, you can manage to keep flies away.
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Remedy with herbal help
Not only in rural areas, with a farm in the immediate neighborhood, the little pests can become a nuisance in the summer. A warm climate favors the multiplication of the insects and within a few weeks the flies can develop into an unpredictable plague. In the wild, the animals are an indispensable part of the local flora and fauna, but in your own kitchen they pose a serious problem.
In the course of their short life, which is usually only between a few weeks or days, flies can transmit over two million pathogenic germs. This is an immense number, considering the small size of the animals. Diseases such as thyphoid, salmonella and polio are said to have been transmitted by houseflies in exceptional cases. The animals feed on dead plant and animal remains. Depending on the insect species, a rotting apple is just as little spurned as the recently deceased shrew in the ornamental bed. In addition to the high risk of infection, flies are anything but clean contemporaries. The black spots on window panes and room walls make this clear.
Insects fly on smells and exactly this circumstance can be used effectively. Whether in the garden or on the windowsill, with the right selection of plants it is possible to keep the pests at bay. It doesn’t matter whether you have your own garden or are planting greenery on your windowsill at home. When choosing plants, it is important to make sure that you select the right varieties. The intense smell of many plants drives away flies. Other herbs and flowers, on the other hand, specialize in attracting insects.
Nasturtium
Bright flowers and circular leaves are the characteristic trademark of nasturtium. The plant is an all-round talent in the garden and not only because of its high vitamin C content. Tropaeolum majus has been valued for centuries as a medicinal herb, and in the kitchen it enhances soups and salads with its pungent leaves and decorative flowers. Until well into November, the perennial delights with its striking flowers, the smell of which effectively repels flies. Nasturtium brings the following advantages:
- Hardy
- Easy to care for
- Tolerant of shade
- Grows quickly
- Insensitive to snails
The location plays a subordinate role for the plant, which originates from South America. To give the fleshy tendrils a stable hold, trellises or garden fences are helpful. With nasturtiums, you can create a dense, decorative screen around the patio that keeps flying pests away while enhancing your food. The downside: this useful plant is an annual and must be reseeded annually in the garden.
Catnip
For owners of cats Nepeta cataria is no stranger. Known as catnip or catmint, the plant belongs to the labiates and has a calming effect on nervous house pets. The intoxicating and beguiling effect of the plant has a special effect on tomcats, which roll around in the plants with delight and nibble on them. A few years ago, American researchers proved that catnip is many times more effective against flies than the anti-mosquito drug DEET, which is used in many anti-mosquito drugs. The essential ingredients of the plant are also said to be effective against yellow fever mosquitoes.
- Catnip is not poisonous
- Can reach a height of up to 100 cm
- Perennial shrub with erect stem
- Robust and hardy
The smell of catnip is lemony and reminiscent of mint. Visitors to the striking smelling flowers include beneficial insects, such as bumblebees and bees. For them, Nepeta cataria is a rich source of nectar, which they prefer to fly to. At the same time, the plant’s intense scent drives away flying pests such as houseflies and co. Cat balm is hardy and can be overwintered in the garden without much effort.
Due to its height of growth, you can plant the perennials in the back border area of ornamental beds or use them as edging for paths. Preferably in those places where you regularly have to deal with a plague of flies in the summer. However, expect that you will not have the plant to yourself. The trivial name of the labiates is by no means accidental. Because many cats are magically attracted to the perennial. In the process, the four-legged friends not only roll around in the plants, but also eat them.
The advantage of catnip: the perennial is content with small planters and thrives magnificently on the balcony and terrace. Placed on the outside windowsill, you can prevent flies and mosquitoes from straying into your living spaces.
Tip: Plant Nepeta between roses, thereby protecting the “queen of flowers” from aphids and other pests.
The Mediterranean oasis
Plants from the Mediterranean region are an enrichment for the garden and terrace. The plants conjure up an exotic atmosphere with their color and appearance. Passionate lovers of Mediterranean plant beauties go one step further and decorate their garden completely in the style of the Mediterranean. Many of the plants have a high content of essential oils, which keeps flies and other annoying insects at bay. The classic pest repellent is undoubtedly lavender. The plant with lilac flowers and herbaceous growth can reach a height of up to 150 cm. The intense smell of the labiates keeps away flies, mosquitoes and moths when fresh and dried. Scented sachets filled with dried lavender have been used successfully for decades to protect textiles.
- Lavender is a semi-shrub
- Needs a sunny and wind-protected location
- Hardy
- Tolerates lean substrate
Because of its low maintenance requirements, lavender is a plant you can leave to its own devices. In the rock garden, lavender cuts just as good a figure as in a flower pot on the windowsill. Plants in tubs
can be transplanted as desired. Flies prefer a warm, sunny place. The same conditions that Lavandula angustifolia needs to grow. Plant the ornamental plants where the flying pests are particularly hard on you. You can use dried lavender shoots to protect your textiles and food from moths.
Tip: Aphids and slugs also give Mediterranean plants a wide berth
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Peppermint in the garden
Some varieties of mint, including mainly peppermint, acts as a reliable protection against flies. The genus Mentha is also no stranger to domestic gardens and has long been used as a medicinal and useful herb. The aromatic taste of peppermint tea is known to almost all of us, as well as the leaves of the plant make a tasty garnish in salads and meat dishes. The strong smell of the plant appears only when the foliage and shoots are injured. To keep insects away in summer, it is advisable to rub a few leaves of the robust plant between your fingers now and then.
Peppermint needs a sunny location
The plant reproduces quickly by underground root runners
Only conditionally suitable as a pot plant
Dried shoots on the windowsill keep flies at bay
Mints feel at home in dry areas of the garden. You can combine the plants with roses and other ornamental plants that share similar conditions in terms of location and substrate.
Tasty kitchen herbs
Fresh herbs from your garden can add culinary value to your dishes and ward off flies. Among the pioneers in this field is basil. For Italian gourmets, this herb is a must in any dish when fresh. Cultivate the plant on the windowsill and keep your kitchens insect-free in this way.
- The labiatae is a light germinator
- For germination temperatures around 20 ° C are necessary
- Does not tolerate drought or waterlogging
- The location should be sunny and warm
- Protect from drafts
Chives
Allium schoenoprasum is native to cooler climates and has different growing conditions than basil. Flies and mosquitoes are sensitive to the strong, spicy smell of the plant and give it a wide berth. Always cut only the amount of chives you need. The herb is fast-growing and regenerates quickly from this action.
- Chives are a perennial herbaceous plant
- Can reach a height between 10 and 50 cm
- Forms daughter bulbs
- Water and fertilize regularly
- Remove excess water in the planter
Edible plants for fly repellent
Tomatoes are a tasty and versatile vegetable. These large, Mediterranean plants grace many commercial and ornamental gardens in the summer. Little effort is required to grow the plants yourself from seed and have a successful tomato harvest. The leaves and shoots of the plant emit an intense smell. Planted near the house, with the help of tomatoes, you can repel the flying pests. However, the measure is effective only in the area around the delicious plants. When planting, it is necessary to maintain a minimum distance. This will allow the individual specimens to develop optimally, and diseases will be more difficult to spread. Take advantage of this fact and frame part of your patio with the tomato plants.
- Tomatoes are perennial plants
- The plants are sensitive to cold and frost
- Tie the shoots with the heavy fruits up high
- Avoid waterlogging when watering
Wet leaves promote tomato blight infestation
Pole and bush beans have an intense fragrance that keeps flies and other flying pests at bay. The plants with the vitamin-rich legumes are from the butterfly family and need a climbing aid.
- Depending on the variety, the plants grow bushy.
- Annual plants
- Need a sunny location
- Not suitable for planting in containers
- In the raw state, all parts of the plant are inedible
Due to growth height and shape, beans are not suitable for every area in the garden. If you are not a friend of the versatile legumes, take the opportunity to individually incorporate climbing plants into your green garden landscape. Decoratively, for example, you can cover the drab garden fence with pole beans.
Useful plants for the balcony
Herbs and vegetable plants are versatile and are used in the kitchen as well as to repel flies. But these plants are rarely an ornament for the balcony or terrace. Lavender and basil are effective against flying pests, but when planted solitarily in a larger area they present a monotonous picture.
Geraniums and marigolds are distinctive plants that captivate with their colorful blooms and keep insects away with their scent. Geraniums transform the site into a colorful oasis of well-being. Only a little effort is needed to encourage the plants to bloom for a long time.
- Geraniums need a frost-proof space for overwintering.
- A sunny to semi-shady spot is ideal
- The ornamental plants need 4 to 6 liters of water per week
- Remove withered inflorescences regularly
Marigolds are a lush ornamental in the border and can be maintained on the balcony railing with little effort. Calendula officinalis, the Latin name of this traditional medicinal plant, needs a full sun location and keeps flies away with its fragrant flowers from June. The plant is also an important source of nectar for bees and butterflies. Marigolds are suitable as cut flowers. Use this option to keep houseflies and co. away from the dining table.
Conclusion
Like many insects, flies are sensitive to odors. With the right plants, you can take advantage of this fact and block access to living spaces with intensely smelling plants. A large number of annual and perennial plants can be used in a variety of ways and are used as a spice, tea or salad in the kitchen. Even though a large proportion of pests are impressed by the smell of lavender and the like, the plants do not offer absolute protection against flies. A few stubborn representatives of the insects are not impressed by the scent. Therefore, it is advisable not to rely on plants alone, but to combine several methods of fly repellent.