How To Make A DIY Mosquito Repellent Planter
Summers are for beaches, BBQs, and mosquitoes. Those little suckers love me and I've tried everything to keep them away. Nothing has worked until now. Here's How To Make A DIY Mosquito Repellent Planter.
The other day my husband and I were chatting about pesky wasps and mosquitoes, after doing some research on plants that can repel bugs, we (okay he) decided to create a unique planter instead of a spray.
Here is your step-by-step guide to make this DIY Planter

First, for this DIY Mosquito Repellent Planter pick a really pretty pot that has holes in the bottom, we used one that is about 2 feet by 2 feet, it is quite large and made from stone.
Next, you want to make sure you pick a good potting mix. We used Black Gold. Organic fertilizer is really important, it's going to help your plants grow and thrive, and it's also free from harmful chemicals and pesticides.
Fill the bottom of the pit with ⅓ potting mix, then, gently loosen the root bulbs before placing them in the pot, add more potting mix, gently patting it down, and leave about an inch of space on the top to allow for gently watering.
A little about the plants we used

Lavender, smells divine and as you probably know can also help with sleep. When used in the garden it acts as a great pesky bug repellent.
The pleasant smell of lavender is offensive to mosquitoes and is best used by planting it in the garden, or in pots situated near doors, windows, and entertainment areas.
Lavender oil contains up to 25 percent linalool, a terpenoid alcohol that contributes to its fruity fragrance. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, this agent is an active ingredient in more than a dozen registered products used to control mosquitoes outside.
Studies show that linalool has the same effect on mosquito olfactory receptors as diethyltoluamide, a chemical used in many conventional mosquito repellents more commonly known as DEET.
The dried flowers can also be placed in wardrobes to repel moths.
Marigolds will make your landscape more attractive, but marigolds also have a distinct smell that repels mosquitoes.

Rosemary is a herb that many of us are very familiar with and its woody scent is exactly what keeps mosquitoes away.

We planted the lavender at the back, then layered the rosemary in front of that, and finally a layer of the marigolds in the front of the rosemary. From tallest to shortest basically.

And here is it 3 weeks later with the lavender in full bloom!
So easy and effective.
If you want to make sure you place the planter near a window or in the seating area, where we have ours, then you are sure to be mosquito-free!

Now, if this is not your thing, then you can also make my DIY Natural Bug Spray Recipe, which is a safe and natural alternative to DEET. You won't find this recipe anywhere else!
It's important to note that some bugs are crucial to the well-being and biodiversity of our gardens, bees being one of them, you can actually plant certain things that will help attract both bees and butterflies to your garden. And if you are gardening, it's important to keep waste in mind too. I've got a whole post on how to recycle plant pots.
And you can take your eco garden one step further by adding a rain barrel, a compost bin, or even these gorgeous DIY planters, filled with lavender.
If you found this post helpful, please help someone by sharing this article – sharing is caring 🙂!

Tahyhleah
says:On my way to making several of your mosquito repellent pots. My daughter has a garden full of lavender!! Going to ask her to dig up a few for me. Great ideas on your website. Just found it today and so glad. I have English thyme, Boxwood basil (gorgeous) and spearmint in planter box and bugs seem to stay clear of that area also!!
Candice Batista
says:Thanks so much for your note!
Michelle
says:This is crazy – about a month ago I moved a lavender plant near our covered patio and planted some marigolds. Last weekend I added a few pots of herbs nearby rosemary being one. I can honestly say that I have noticed we’ve not experienced any issues with mosquitoes AND we always have a problem with flies under the pergola. They disappeared a few weeks ago. I wondered what had happened. This is great!
Rita
says:I will try this…how much sun do these three plants need?
Candice Batista
says:I have then in full sun. Enjoy. 🙂
LouAnn Click
says:What else can you use if you are allergic to marigolds? I have no allerigies to the other plants used.
Candice Batista
says:Hi LouAnn,
You can try Nasturtiums. But I have not used these before,
Give it a try,
best,
Candice
Jehnna
says:Can you put these in a hanging planter?
Candice Batista
says:yes!
Rob
says:Hi,
Did it work? Do you have less mosquitoes now?
Rob
Candice Batista
says:Hi Rob,
Yes, it works for us, we have three of them around the patio. best,
Candice
Tabitha
says:Can you plant these in a flower bed at the base of spartan juniper trees?
Candice Batista
says:Hi Tabitha,
I don’t see why not.
best,
Candice
Lauren
says:What happens in the winter? Is this a seasonal buy or can you move them indoors?
Candice Batista
says:We use it seasonally. You can try to bring them into the home.
Phil
says:How big of an area would you say each planter might cover in regards to repelling mosquitos?
Candice Batista
says:Our deck is 12 x 12 and we have it in the off to the side between two chairs.
Linda
says:What about bee’s I’m allergic would the lavender and marigold’s attract them?
Candice Batista
says:Yes, they might, probably best to avoid it. Or place it away from where you are sitting.
Korinne
says:How many of each plant did you use for that size container!
Candice Batista
says:Hello Linda,
There are two lavender plants, 2 rosemary plants and 8 marigolds. The planter itself is about 40 centimetres across,
hope this helps,
Best,
Candice
Mai
says:Hi! I was totally inspired by your pots and placed 2 beside my backyard patio door and so far so good ! I wish I could share a picture. I did use lemongrass instead of lavender though. They are in a shaded area of my back porch all day. How often do you water them?? Thank you!
Candice Batista
says:Hi Mai,
I am so happy about that! I love mine too. Feel free to email me a photo, info@theecohub.com I’d love to see!
For watering, I just keep an eye on the soil, when it dries, water it, it’s really hot in Toronto right now, so I have been adding water at the end of each day or every other day.
It also depends on how much water the lemongrass needs, here is some great info on that: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/lemongrass/lemongrass-water-requirements.htm
let me know if you need more info,
all my best,
Candice
Nancy
says:Can these planters be placed in a total sun area.
Candice Batista
says:Yes they can.
Janet
says:Can I use the rosemary in that planter when cooking or will the lavender alter the taste
Candice Batista
says:It shouldn’t alter the taste at all.