LIFESTYLE
5 Plants You Can Grow At Home To Keep The Mosquitoes Away
-copy.jpg?ext=.jpg "5 Plants You Can Grow At Home To Keep The Mosquitoes Away")
As Malaysians breath a sigh of relief as we enter the recovery phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Health Ministry has turned their attention on another virus that we Malaysians are pretty familiar with: dengue.
Dengue is not something new in our country. Each year, hundreds of people die of dengue and yet, many of us still take the disease lightly.
According to government portal iDengue, a total of 48,637 cases have been reported between 29 Dec 2019 and 8 June 2020, with 87 deaths since January 2020.
The Health Ministry is expecting the numbers to increase as June to September are "hot months" for dengue.
KKM jangka berlaku peningkatan kes denggi gelombang kedua bermula awal Jun sehingga September 2020.Jangkaan ini berdasarkan trend kes denggi selama 5 tahun.Seperti #COVID19, denggi masih tiada vaksin. Pastikan sekeliling rumah bersih, bebas tempat pembiakan aedes.— KKMPutrajaya (@KKMPutrajaya) June 8, 2020
While keeping our surroundings clean and clearing all aedes breeding grounds remain the safest way to keep dengue at bay, some plants also help keep the mosquitoes away.
Since we noticed that Malaysians have a thing for gardening these days, here are some plants that you can place around your house to repel the pesky little insects:
1) Citronella grass
Most commercial insect repellents use the essential oil from a species of lemongrass, known as citronella. Although it is of the same family and looks similar to the lemongrass (serai), it's actually not the same plant. So, when you buy the plant, make sure you ask for citronella grass, which has the properties to keep mosquitoes away. The plant needs a lot of sun, so make sure you place it near the windows or in a pot that is easily movable.
The plants usually sold as "mosquito plants" aren't of the same family, and although it smells similar and looks pretty, it does not keep the insects away.
2) Lavender
To be honest, we've never tried planting a lavender plant, but according to Garderner's Path, the plant loves heat, hates water, needs space and wants lean soil - all of which sounds possible enough in our weather. The smell of the plant is said to keep insects, including mosquitoes, away, so even if you fail at growing the plant, perhaps a potpourri or essential oils might still help.
3) Basil
This we can assure you is possible to grow in our climate. Just make sure that you learn the proper care when you buy them. Not only is basil yummy when added to pizzas, pastas, salads and other foods, the plant is also known to keep away many types of insects, including mosquitoes.
4) Rosemary
Another herb well known for its ability to add taste to your dishes. It's not very common to see fresh rosemary in Malaysia, but it is supposed to thrive in warm, humid environments so our country is perfect. Just don't leave it under direct sunlight too much. The smell of the plant itself can keep mosquitoes away, but you can also make insect repellents by boiling dried rosemary, straining it and adding the strained part with hot water. Store it and use when necessary.
5) Catnip
Cats love this plant but mosquitoes don't. The plant strives in sunny atmosphere and needs plenty of sun, so it should be easy to grow them here. The only problem is, it grows like weed so you will have to prune it often (or you could just plant it in pots and keep it indoors). That's where you want it to work as repellent, anyway.
If you don't like cats, however, you may want to choose one or more of the other plants we've suggested as you may end up attracting stray cats you don't want in your home.
Pretty, useful and keeps the insects away
If you haven't noticed, most of the plants mentioned are things we use in cooking and is said to be effective in keeping insects away. But that does not mean having the plants is all you should to.
Clean your home and its surroundings, make sure there are no mosquito breeding grounds and call the closest health department to do some fogging if you notice aedes mosquitoes in your neighbourhood.
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