How to Keep Mosquitoes Away With Marigolds

Marigold, or Caledula officianials, is a pungent wildflower that can be cultivated for a purpose. If your vegetable garden, flower garden or lawn is riddled with mosquitoes, this is the plant for you. While not the strongest mosquito repelling plant, it is still quite effective and the flowers are lovely to look at and pick. Marigold can also be used as a companion plant with tomatoes and other vegetables to keep away white flies, nematodes, Mexican bean beetles and tomato hornworms.

Vodka, 100 proof
Fire pit

Instructions

- 1
  Plan out the positions of marigolds in your garden. For companion planting, the plants must be placed between rows of vegetables, so you should plan for a row of tomatoes and then a row of marigolds on both sides of the tomatoes.
- 2
  Prune and dry the marigold leaves and stems. Place the dried stems and leaves into some vodka and leave to distill for two weeks. Spray this mixture directly onto your skin or around the garden. Marigold plants will not repel mosquitoes on their own; instead, preparation steps must be taken.
- 3
  Place fresh leaves and stems into a fire pit and burn the herbs along with the wood. The marigold's oils travel in the smoke and also repel mosquitoes.

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