Keep Mosquitoes Away From Your Home Naturally By Burning This Common Kitchen Herb

There are few things more annoying than mosquitoes, especially in your home. Their bites are unbelievably itchy and surprisingly numerous if they catch you while relaxing or sleeping, and if they find a mate, they can lay eggs within 48 hours of mating. Unfortunately, when mosquitoes lay eggs, they lay between 100 and 300 eggs at a time, leading to a full-on assault on your home. As such, finding the right repellent is crucial to getting rid of mosquitoes indoors, and you should look no further than burning a sprig of rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus).

Rosemary has been found to be an effective mosquito repellent. In a study published in the Malaria Journal, a 20% oil solution of rosemary provided 100% protection for eight hours. In another study for the Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine, researchers concluded that the oils showed strong repellent properties for up to 90 minutes. To release those magical essential oils that deter mosquitoes, the easiest thing to do is burn sprigs of fresh rosemary. Burning rosemary releases the essential oils into the air, which disrupts the senses of the mosquitoes. While it may not be as concentrated as other methods, burning rosemary still works well as a mosquito repellent method, while also carrying other potential benefits such as reducing stress and promoting relaxation.

That being said, if you choose to burn rosemary, you should do so safely. Place several fresh rosemary sprigs inside a fire-resistant bowl. Carefully light one end of a sprig on fire and then quickly, but softly, blow the fire out. The result should be a smoldered bowl of rosemary sprigs that will emanate a pleasing aroma. You should avoid burning rosemary during high fire risk situations, such as extreme heat and drought.

For an endless supply of mosquito repellent, you can grow your own rosemary. If you want to grow it outdoors, you should plant this aromatic herb once spring has arrived and the last frost is well past. If you are growing it indoors, you can plant whenever you want. Rosemary will need full sun and well-draining, sandy soil. To fully unlock rosemary's benefits as a companion plant, you should plant it next to vegetables and herbs such as peppers, oregano, and carrots, to name a few. Avoid planting rosemary next to basil, mint, tomatoes, and cucumbers.

To care for your rosemary, you will want to avoid overwatering. As one of the common problems with rosemary plants, overwatering is an easy mistake to make. Once established, you should only water your rosemary once the top two inches of soil are dry. Just as you don't want to overwater, you also shouldn't overfeed your rosemary. In spring, you can lightly apply a neutral fertilizer, but it shouldn't need much more beyond that.

You should begin harvesting and pruning your rosemary once the plant is about 12 inches tall. Harvest frequently and early in the morning to promote better growth and harvest the best leaves. You should use sharp scissors or shears and cut just above a node to allow for more branching. To dry the sprigs for long-term storage, bundle them together, hang them upside down, and then store them in an airtight bag once they have fully dried, you will want them crispy. For burning, you should use freshly harvested sprigs, because thanks to a higher concentration of oils, they will make a better mosquito repellent than dry sprigs. If you can't grow rosemary, there are still seven unexpected mosquito repellent ideas to try.