![Wikimedia Commons](\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Claude_Monet%27s_home_behind_garden,_Giverny_2017-05-31.jpg\"){kind=link}
![\"\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/pathway-lighting.jpg\")
Gardens seem vulnerable because they’re frequent victims of countless bites and pest infestations. But what’s often forgotten is your garden can protect not only itself from pests but also your home in general. This is all achievable by planting a diversity of insect-repelling plants. Here, we compiled a guide of plants that will be effective pest […]
\n","content":"Gardens seem vulnerable because they’re frequent victims of countless bites and pest infestations. But what’s often forgotten is your garden can protect not only itself from pests but also your home in general. This is all achievable by planting a diversity of insect-repelling plants. Here, we compiled a guide of plants that will be effective pest control for your home.
\nThis guide is sourced from the Farmer’s Almanac, the National Institute of Health’s database on herbs, and several gardening blogs.
\n\nThese small flowers carry a scent that deters common garden pests, which include aphids, squash bugs and tomato hornworms. Petunias exist in 20 different species, so planting these will bring a cascade of color to your garden. However, don’t plant these too close to all your produce because they attract caterpillars and slugs.
\nPlanting Tips: Many stores, such as Home Depot and Lowe’s, sell petunia seeds and transplants. It’s recommended you buy transplants since they’re much easier to grow in your yard. They aren’t high maintenance and only need to be watered once a week.
\nChrysanthemums are a natural insecticide and keep away ants, ticks, cockroaches, and silverfish. Though avoid planting these in abundance because their scent may steer away some pollinators. Also, their flowers can be used to make the popularly made tea.
\nPlanting Tips: Chrysanthemums need dry climates because they’re susceptible to mildew. They need good exposure to sunlight. Remember to be patient though—these take over two months to bloom.
\nBorage flowers are helpful pest control if your garden has tomatoes or cabbages. They repel tomato hornworms and cabbage worms—but attract pollinators. So if you plant borage, expect blue, pink flowers to quickly pattern your garden.
\nPlanting Tips: Borage flowers need full sunlight to bloom well, but they take only 5 to 15 days to sprout from seeds.
\nThe bright purple petals of this herb not only will beautify your garden, but its potent and unique aroma will also repel ants from building nests and steer away mosquitoes. Lavender also attracts pollinators, so this herb is a useful ally to keep around your plants. It also can keep out moths if you dry and store some in your closet.
\nPlanting Tips: Lavender grows best in dry and warm climates. It doesn’t need much water to thrive, so if your area receives at least 15 inches of annual average precipitation, you’re in a good spot.
\nMint is great pest control for a broad array of bugs, including aphids, ants, mosquitoes, cabbage moths, and certain types of beetles. The scent is the main deterrent, and the herb itself grows easily because it needs little water. However, you should probably plant mint in a pot since it can overtake your garden if left unmonitored.
\nPlanting Tips: Mint is easily bought in many stores, usually in a pot and ready to be transplanted. Most grow well under shade. Add a thin layer of compost or organic fertilizer every few months. Aboveground pots will need winter protection in cold climates.
\nRosemary deters beetles, mosquitoes, flies, and cabbage moths. As one of the strongest aromas to plant, rosemary can mask the scents of surrounding plants and protect them from exploring pests.
\nPlanting Tips: Rosemary is easily found in stores. Both seeding and transplanting are easy methods. The herb requires little water and tolerates hot and cold temperatures well. It’s one of the most robust plants you can add to your garden.
\nBasil, interesting enough, is a great protector if you’re growing asparagus. The plant scares away asparagus beetles, and it’s also a broadly effective repellent for mosquitoes and flies. Although it requires quite a bit of water in hot climates, this household leafy herb is a useful agent against beetle populations, particularly asparagus beetles, mosquitoes, and houseflies.
\nPlanting Tips: Basil is also easy to find in stores, though the best method is through transplanting. Despite its ability to grow in hot climates, the herb will need a lot of water to sustain itself, so make sure the soil is always moist.
\nThyme drives away houseflies well. You should plant these not only in your garden but around your house, so these hard-to-swat pests don’t appear in the first place.
\nPlanting Tips: Thyme is easy to grow, either through seeding or transplanting. Make sure there is plenty of sun exposure. It takes two to three weeks to fully grow out, so it’s a longer wait than most other herbs.
\nCilantro is reliable pest control, particularly if you’re growing potatoes. The herb’s aroma repels potato beetles, usually the biggest threat to the crop. Cilantro also deters more common pests, such as aphids and spider mites. It’s an all-around good plant to surround your other plants with.
\nPlanting Tips: Cilantro thrives well under cold weather, however, you can find them in virtually any grocery store to seed or transplant yourself. Make sure this herb is under frequent sunlight.
\nGarlic, famous for its pungency, scares away pests by its smell—discouraging them to lay eggs nearby. They’re particularly effective in preventing root maggots from appearing, so if you have other root vegetables nearby, it’s worth adding these to your garden.
\nPlanting Tips: Garlic is best grown during the fall, and it can take up to 9 months to mature. Try to plant it in a place that receives at least 6 hours of sunlight and occasionally check if the soil is moist. Once it grow out, it’ll be one of most durable plants in your garden.
\nFeatured Image: Wikimedia Commons
\n","title":"10 Insect-Repelling Plants that Drive Away Nasty Pests","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.5009380863039399,"src":"/static/56956ed668989008263cda20b7d73315/f2cbb/home-garden.jpg","srcSet":"/static/56956ed668989008263cda20b7d73315/107df/home-garden.jpg 320w,\n/static/56956ed668989008263cda20b7d73315/293e9/home-garden.jpg 500w,\n/static/56956ed668989008263cda20b7d73315/f2cbb/home-garden.jpg 800w","srcWebp":"/static/56956ed668989008263cda20b7d73315/98a65/home-garden.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/56956ed668989008263cda20b7d73315/67b76/home-garden.webp 320w,\n/static/56956ed668989008263cda20b7d73315/8df11/home-garden.webp 500w,\n/static/56956ed668989008263cda20b7d73315/98a65/home-garden.webp 800w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"10 Insect-Repelling Plants that Drive Away Nasty Pests | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Gardens seem vulnerable because they’re frequent victims of countless bites and pest infestations. Here, we compiled a guide of plants that will be effective pest control for your home."}}},{"node":{"id":"62032e10-2302-5f13-82e3-9581ef40a502","slug":"how-to-use-lighting-to-transform-your-outdoor-space","path":"/home-garden/how-to-use-lighting-to-transform-your-outdoor-space/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"","name":"Wikilawn","id":"706a455e-0b9c-56ea-aeed-4f411c6c1973","path":"/author/wikilawn/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fd0301960c52ded452e0b5fc145cb264?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"cfca3a30-772e-535e-90a9-3056dfc1de8c","name":"Home & Garden","count":15,"path":"/category/home-garden/"}],"date":"September 12th, 2018","excerpt":"There are many ways that added lighting can completely change the overall feel of an outdoor space. Many products are on the market that are available in multiple applications to fit every need for outdoor lighting. Consider the following ways to transform your outdoor space by using well placed lighting fixtures. Update Old Lights Replacing […]
\n","content":"There are many ways that added lighting can completely change the overall feel of an outdoor space. Many products are on the market that are available in multiple applications to fit every need for outdoor lighting. Consider the following ways to transform your outdoor space by using well placed lighting fixtures.
\nReplacing outdoor fixtures is an easy way to create a larger feeling patio to instantly upgrade and increase the value of your outdoor space. Consider choosing fixtures that match the overall look of your house. Many finishes are available and matching a new light fixture to your door handles should be quite easy. Hardwired fixtures come in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes and can be tailored to your needs. Consider this modern choice that will provide a lot of light as well as beauty.
\n
Photo: photo-suit.com
\nWalkways are a primary area of concern when trying to navigate a dark yard. Consider adding easy to install pathway lighting in order to light up the walkways from the driveway to the front door. Choosing this lighting will help to ensure that guests and family members don’t trip while trying to navigate a dark yard. Other features of this type of lighting include being able to see hazards in the pathway like sports gear or even nocturnal animals that emerge only at night. Pro Tip: Be extremely careful when trimming your walkways with that four stroke string trimmer, or better yet remove the lights when doing your edging.
\nIf your outdoor space includes a covered porch or deck area, consider using outdoor ceiling lights that can be easily installed to provide overhead lighting. These lights can be easily added to the ceiling or perhaps consider recessed options like this style that will provide a clean overall look to your outdoor space. Using ceiling lights will provide lighting for those using your porch and deck space as well as encourage a level of safety in adding extra light around doorways and windows. Consider installing a timer for ceiling lights to automatically go on at sunset in order to provide safety when getting home after the sun goes down.
\nJust because the sun has gone down doesn’t mean that you don’t want to still view your beautiful blooming plants. Consider adding lighting that will spotlight your favorite bush or tree with this garden spike that rotates a full 180°. Placing a few around your garden will help to draw attention to those plants that are in full bloom even at night. Other options include placing this lighting fixture in front of displays or artwork in your garden that you would like to also enjoy at night.
\nIf you have a pool or water feature in your outdoor space adding a light that is rated for underwater use like this option will help illuminate those areas of your yard. Not only will showcasing these water features create extra beauty at night but they also help to keep these areas safe. Lighting up the water features of your yard will help guests easily identify these hazards as well as keep children and pets from accidentally falling into areas of water.
\nInstalling outdoor lighting is an easy way to instantly upgrade your outdoor living areas. Consider adding important pathway, ceiling, and underwater lighting in order to create a safe atmosphere. Lighted garden spikes can be used to showcase your garden as well. Replacing old fixtures with new options can also transform your outdoor area quickly. Follow these lighting tips in order to transform your outdoor space.
\nTop photo: tblawncare.com
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\n","content":"There is more to moving into a new home than just the actual house, townhouse, co-op or apartment. You are moving into a new neighborhood, and you may not be happy if you don’t like the community. The ideal thing to do is to visit the area at different times of the day to get a feel of what it’s like during odd times of the day. Plus, there are some tips below to help you check off your list some essential factors to consider.
\n![\"\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/sidewalk-300x200.jpg\")
Photo: Flickr / Rupert Ganzer
\nSidewalks are an indicator that the neighborhood may be a busy one. With sidewalks, houses are connected for a friendly hello when you walk down the street. Plus, if you have children, it’s safer because the cars aren’t in the same space pedestrians are in.
\nCheck out the schools nearby whether you have children or not. A school district which is rated highly by parents is a high selling point if you want to sell your home eventually. Plus, if you do have children, you want to see how close it is to you and how your children will commute.
\nParks are strong selling points when within walking distance of your new home. Do your research prior and look for must-visit outdoor spaces close to the potential new home location. Parks are where you can take walks, enjoy nature and meet new friends. Too, if you do have children, parks are a wonderful place to take them to have fun and get outside in the fresh air.
\nShopping is another item to check on your list. Do you want something close enough to walk to if you need milk? Or, how close is the nearest grocery store so you know how long it will take you to run errands? What about restaurants, if you enjoy eating out, are they close to your home or will you have to spend a lot of time driving?
\nPlus, another tip mentioned above, is to check out the neighborhood at different times. When you are checking out a place to live in the middle of the day, it might be quiet and peaceful. But, what happens when everyone comes home? Are there bars nearby that will have late night traffic? Are there train tracks, a hospital or even a fire whistle nearby? Can you imagine moving into your new home and then finding out there’s a fire whistle which goes off in the middle of the night when a fire call comes into the fire department?
\nYou also might want to take a walk around the neighborhood and talk to the neighbors in the area where you want to live. Ask how they like the community, what don’t they like about it, and where local hot spots are. If they don’t talk to you, then you probably wouldn’t want them as neighbors anyways.
\n![\"\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/playground-300x225.jpg\")
Photo: Flickr / GameTime
\nAnother point to consider is when you walk outside, what does it smell like? Is the air clean or do you smell bad odors? You don’t want to buy a home and then find out that there’s a garbage dump nearby which you can smell when the wind is blowing south.
\nAlso, see if the streets are well-lit at night, check out the crime rate in that area. Is there bumper to bumper traffic during rush hour? What about the homes nearby, are they well-kept? Are there homes which are abandoned or vandalized within the community you’re checking? What about a lot of for sale signs or places for rent? It could be that neighborhood is heading downhill, and the neighborhood’s value is decreasing.
\nThe last thing is to picture yourself and your family, if you have one living with you, moving to this neighborhood. Do you feel comfortable and does it meet your criteria? It could be a lovely neighborhood with the perfect home, but if something feels a little off–you’ll want to trust your gut..
\nBuying a new home isn’t just about the house but living in the neighborhood that it’s in as well.
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