this post was submitted on 12 Jul 2026
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gardening

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read braiding sweetgrass, lib

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Let it grow ^.^

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Are there plants i could easily cultivate to discourage certain types of insects from hanging around? (hexbear.net)
submitted 4 weeks ago by Acute_Engles@hexbear.net to c/gardening@hexbear.net
22 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

I've recently moved apartments and the architecture is such that lots of flies get trapped in a loop near my back sliding door. It's sometimes dozens or more just spinning in a circle.

I was fortunate to get a unit with ample growing space and was hoping there's some kind of flower or plant that flies will avoid before getting trapped in the doom spiral.

I can catch one of them in a safe bug net and take a picture if needed.

Thanks in advance

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[–] EmmaGoldman@hexbear.net 9 points 4 weeks ago (2 children)

Catnip (not catmint, though) is an extremely effective insect repellent. Nepetalactone is an insect irritant more effective than DEET.

[–] FUCKING_CUNO@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 4 weeks ago

You just end up with stray cats rolling around in your garden patch..... So win win I guess

[–] kristina@hexbear.net 2 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

Mint too but it'll take over

[–] whats_a_lemmy@midwest.social 1 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

Just grow it in a container

[–] kristina@hexbear.net 2 points 4 weeks ago

Yeah that's what I do I have a little jungle of containers on our apartment patio

[–] hexthismess@hexbear.net 7 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

Serracinia pitcher plants. They are native to N America and they are very hardy. They'll eat the bugs. All you have to do is keep them wet and sitting in distilled or rain water, and plenty of sun. They like the cold in the winter and need it for their winter dormancy period, so you can leave them outside in the PNW (since you mentioned). The plants are gluttons and will eat as much as will fall in their mouths (jst like me, fr fr).

They are such easy plants to grow outside, as long as you keep them wet and use distilled or rain water. They will die with tap water because of minerals in the water.

Keeping carniverous plants is so rewarding, at least for me, especially when I hear insects in the traps, feeding my babies yummy

[–] Acute_Engles@hexbear.net 1 points 4 weeks ago

Thank you!

[–] WilsonWilson@hexbear.net 7 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

Neem oil mixed with water and spritzed on any plant that can handle it will help deter flies. You could even get a fake plant and occasionally spray the leaves to leave a light residue on it. Some people don't like the smell but I use it on house plants and got used to it. Citronella oil spray would probably have a similar effect.

[–] Acute_Engles@hexbear.net 2 points 4 weeks ago

Thank you i might have some citronella

[–] BanMeFromPosting@hexbear.net 6 points 4 weeks ago (2 children)

Sundew is natures flypaper.

[–] hexthismess@hexbear.net 3 points 4 weeks ago* (last edited 4 weeks ago)

There is at least one sundew native to the PNW I recently learned, so that would work perfectly for OPs purposes, given the right soil and water

[–] Acute_Engles@hexbear.net 2 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

Thanks!

[–] BanMeFromPosting@hexbear.net 1 points 4 weeks ago

They're also beautiful and cool, though they only work in summer/with lots of sun

[–] culpritus@hexbear.net 4 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

Lemongrass that is used in a lot of Thai recipes is supposed to be bad for insects (most familiar with the effect on mosquitos and fleas). Maybe that would work if you can grow it.

[–] Acute_Engles@hexbear.net 1 points 4 weeks ago

Thanks!

[–] tactical_trans_karen@hexbear.net 4 points 4 weeks ago (3 children)

Marigolds do something, forget what tho

[–] StillNoLeftLeft@hexbear.net 3 points 4 weeks ago (2 children)

Marigolds should be very good at repelling unwanted pests, often used in allotment gardening between rows.

[–] LeeeroooyJeeenkiiins@hexbear.net 2 points 4 weeks ago

Iirc they also expressly attract beneficial insects too

[–] StillNoLeftLeft@hexbear.net 2 points 4 weeks ago

But don't put them near beanis or the beanis suffers.

[–] Athena5898@hexbear.net 3 points 4 weeks ago

They are good against soil based pests.

[–] Acute_Engles@hexbear.net 1 points 4 weeks ago

Honestly same

[–] Acute_Engles@hexbear.net 4 points 4 weeks ago

I live in the "pacific north west" basically on the border between canada and the us on the west coast for reference