The Best All Natural Mosquito Repellants

What does summer mean to you? For us it's all about outdoor fun with our family. It's probably not much of a surprise that most of us that work at The Barn enjoy spending time outside. But we aren't just picking weeds and harvesting gardens. Outdoor living, including grilling burgers, kicking back with friends and enjoying drinks around a bonfire sounds like the perfect summer night.

Rain or shine, our family is hosting a BBQ this weekend. We are inviting a fun mix of friends and family and between kids, parents, dogs and babies, it will be a great time. Of course, working at The Barn all summer means my gardens aren't exactly ready to be shown off but this post isn't about plants, annuals or perennials. It's about MOSQUITOS.

I need to indulge in a small "Princess & The Pea" moment and share my hatred of mosquito bites. (I know I am not alone on this one.)  I'm not known for being especially sweet but mosquitos sure like me. While last summer's drought made mosquitos practically non-existant, this seasons frequent rain and cool days (AKA, Perfect Gardening Weather!!) means the blood suckers are on the prowl and cannot wait for me to bare my ankles.

So, I do what I can to avoid them. Since I have kids ands dogs, I prefer to go natural whenever possible. And luckily, my job lets me explore different ways to do this. Here is a list of our best, home tested, natural mosquito repellants.

Citronella Plants  - Citronella plants smell great and are an all natural, living, breathing way to repel mosquitos. Place them in pots on patios and near doors where you are likely to be relaxing outdoors. They can also be planted in beds around pathways and decks. At The Barn, we also carry them in hanging baskets that are perfect for porches.

Liquid Net - This is an all natural bug spray that repels mosquitos, gnats, ticks, no-see-ums, and other annoying insects. This product is also known for having a nice scent.

Amazon Lights - Amazon Lights are an amazing brand of outdoor living products made of earth-friendly products including rosemary, citronella, and thyme. They are available in long burning candles, incense cones and 24" tall incense sticks that you can light around your outdoor entertaining spaces.

St Gabriel Organics has a concentrate Mosquito Repellant that attaches to the end of your hose and covers up to 5000 square feet. Once applied this product is completely odorless and can be used on plant material and hardscapes. One application of St Gabriel's Mosquito Repellant lasts for weeks and also repels gnats, fleas and ticks. This product is Pet and Child approved!

Visit our Garden Center in Cary at 8109 S Rt 31 and pick up the items you need for mosquito free, ich-less entertaining this summer. Visit our website at www.BarnNurseryLandscape.com for more information about our services. Call for product availability at 847-658-3883.