PlantLegitMosquito, deer, rabbit, rodent and garden-pest plants: what works vs myth
Sources (13)
- Cilek & Schreiber 1994, J Am Mosq Control Assoc (PubMed) – pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Matsuda et al. 1996, J Am Mosq Control Assoc (PubMed) – pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- UW–Madison: Area repellents – mosquitosite.russell.wisc.edu
- CDC: Mosquito control at home – cdc.gov
- EPA: Success in mosquito control – epa.gov
- EPA: Find the repellent that is right for you – epa.gov
- CDC: Preventing mosquito bites – cdc.gov
- NDSU Extension: Protecting your vegetable garden from rabbits – ndsu.edu
- Iowa State Extension: How to protect gardens from rabbits – yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu
- WSU Extension: Vole management in home gardens – Washington State University Extension
- Nebraska Extension: Controlling vole damage (G887) – extensionpubs.unl.edu
- Penn State Extension: Integrated management of voles
- Rutgers Extension: Landscape plants rated by deer resistance – extension.rutgers.edu
Sourced only from Extension offices, CDC/EPA and peer-reviewed studies. Checked 2026-10-15.
| Pest | Claim or method | Evidence | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mosquitoes | Citronella / “mosquito plant” (citrosa geranium) in the yard | Myth | Field trials in Florida, Michigan and Ontario found no reduction in mosquito bites near citrosa plants; mosquitoes landed and rested on the plants. Cilek & Schreiber 1994, J Am Mosq Control Assoc (PubMed) · Matsuda et al. 1996, J Am Mosq Control Assoc (PubMed) · UW–Madison: Area repellents |
| Mosquitoes | Dump standing water weekly | Works | CDC and EPA: once a week empty, scrub, turn over, cover or throw out anything that holds water (buckets, saucers, birdbaths, toys, gutters). Egg and larva control is generally the most effective, least costly step. CDC: Mosquito control at home · EPA: Success in mosquito control |
| Mosquitoes | EPA-registered skin repellents | Works | CDC recommends EPA-registered repellents; the EPA registration means the maker submitted effectiveness data. CDC: the effectiveness of non-registered “natural” repellents is not known. Use EPA’s search tool to pick by protection time. EPA: Find the repellent that is right for you · CDC: Preventing mosquito bites |
| Rabbits | Fence with 1-inch-or-smaller mesh | Works | Extension: fencing is the most effective control. Use chicken wire or hardware cloth with mesh 1 inch or less, about 2 ft tall for cottontails (3 ft for jackrabbits), pinned to the ground or buried a few inches with the bottom bent outward. NDSU Extension: Protecting your vegetable garden from rabbits · Iowa State Extension: How to protect gardens from rabbits |
| Voles & mice | Hardware-cloth guards plus short grass and thin mulch | Works (with effort) | ¼-inch hardware cloth around beds or trunks, buried several inches and taller than snow depth; keep grass mowed and mulch thin around plants. Extension notes few data support vole repellents, so they should not be the only method. WSU Extension: Vole management in home gardens · Nebraska Extension: Controlling vole damage (G887) · Penn State Extension: Integrated management of voles |
| Deer | “Deer-proof” plants | Partly | Rutgers: no plant is deer proof. Plants rated A or B are damaged less often, but success depends on local deer numbers and weather; preferred plants need fencing or repellents. Rutgers Extension: Landscape plants rated by deer resistance |
| Root-knot nematodes | Marigolds planted here and there among vegetables | Mostly myth | Scattered marigolds show little benefit. A dense French marigold cover crop grown for about two months where the next crop goes can suppress root-knot nematodes, depending on cultivar. PlantLegit evidence review: marigold cover crop · Interplanted marigolds with tomatoes |
| Aphids | Flowers that feed beneficial insects (sweet alyssum) | Works | USDA-ARS found sparse sweet alyssum plantings controlled aphids in organic romaine by feeding hoverflies whose larvae eat aphids. PlantLegit evidence review: sweet alyssum with lettuce · Buckwheat insectary strips |
| Garden insects | “Mint repels pests” | See review | Rated on our companion page; check the evidence and sources before relying on it. PlantLegit evidence review: mint |
Pesticides and repellents: always follow the product label. Some rodent and deer repellents are registered for ornamentals only, not food crops (Nebraska Extension). Not medical advice; for mosquito-borne disease risk follow CDC and your health department.
Related
Deer-resistant plants (Rutgers ratings)Companion planting evidenceWet yard & standing waterPlanting calendars