5 must-have plants to get rid of spiders and other pests

If you are anything like me, with the arrival of spring and the nicer weather, you may start leaving your windows and doors open to let the warmer air in… along with some unpleasant tiny friends.

One night, when I was little, I found a huge spider in my bed and, from that very day, I don’t do so well with creepy crawlies in general. Yet I live in a country with some of the most dangerous  spiders. Go figure!

Having a little crawling child is another reason why I like to be safer than sorry, as she is literally going through that phase where she puts EVERYTHING she finds on the floor in her mouth.

The good news is that there are some common plants that help keep those many-legs ugly insects away. Let’s find out what they are…

1. Peppermint: great to repel spiders (probably the best out of the 5!), pests and mosquitos. Be warned, it can be invasive if planted in the garden outside;

2. Lemongrass/Lemon balm: you might be familiar with citronella, right? The citrus-like smell will keep the bugs away;

3. Basil: I will come clean here. I have a pretty good green thumb, I really do. But for some very odd reason I haven’t been very successful in growing Basil indoor lately. If, however, you are better than me, Basil is not just a great addition to your tomato sauce and pizza… it also repels bugs;

4. Rosemary: another kitchen staple, widely grown outdoor as bushes, Rosemary keeps the bugs away;

5. Lavender: this beautiful plant can be used for so many things, including keeping flies and mosquito at bay.

Get some pots ready and let’s get planting 🙂