The citronella plant can help keep mosquitoes at bay.
Citronella plants, also called mosquito plants, are genetically altered geranium hybrids that actually repel mosquitoes. Rub a few leaves onto your skin to release the plant's oils onto the skin, or combine crushed leaves with rubbing alcohol to create a portable repellent. The leafy plant can reach a foot tall during its first season and produces a sweet lemony scent. In addition, the citronella plant can survive outside after the last and before the first frosts and thrives indoors during the winter season. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Select an area for the citronella plant that features full sun or partial shade. If growing the plant outside, make sure it is an area that will allow the plant to grow to 3 to 4 feet tall and wide in a warmer climate or up to a foot tall in a colder climate. Also, be sure the plant will receive six to eight hours of sunlight each day. When indoors, make sure the plant's area stays between 65 and 70 degrees F during the day and about 55 at night.
2. Check to see that the soil you use for your citronella, either in a flowering pot or in the ground, is loose enough to provide quick drainage and aeration. The soil also should be slightly acidic in addition to being dry. If growing the plant in a flower bed, collect a sample of the soil you plan to use for your citronella plant and take it to your local county extension office for testing. The ideal soil pH for geraniums such as the citronella plant is 6.5. Your soil test will let you know if you need to add any amendments such as sphagnum peat moss to the soil.
3. Choose a potting mix that is three parts soil, one part sand and one part peat moss or a mix that is two parts soil to one part sand for potted indoor or outdoor plants. Make sure the pot has holes in the base to allow excess water to drain from the plant roots after you plant and water the citronella.
4. Water the plant at least once a week and feed it with a soluble plant food product based on the label's directions. When planting outdoors, place a 1- to 2-inch layer of mulch such as shredded hardwood bark or pine straw over the soil after the soil warms in the spring to help the plant retain water.
5. Fertilize your citronella plant according to the manufacturer's instructions every four to six weeks. Use a 10-10-10 or 8-8-8 fertilizer with a slow-release form of nitrogen.
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