Wasp plagues occur again and again in late summer. Anyone who likes to eat outside when the weather is nice can be driven to despair by the annoying biting insects. Fortunately, there is an effective remedy that also enriches the kitchen garden: fragrant herbs.
Which herbs help against wasps in the garden?
Answer: To naturally keep wasps away in the garden, fragrant herbs such as basil, lemon verbena and frankincense can be used. These emit unpleasant odors for wasps and at the same time offer an aromatic enrichment for your own kitchen.
Combat beneficial wasps gently
A preliminary remark: Getting rid of wasps in the garden is not only a very difficult matter, but to a certain extent it is also a criminal offense. Wasps are officially protected and may not be intentionally disturbed, harmed or even killed. This is completely justified given their ecologically important and useful function. For your own gardener's interest and to avoid pen alties, you should gently keep the insects away from your garden and patio.
Unpleasant for wasps, pleasant for us
Probable methods to lure wasps away from your green oasis include overripe fruit, raw meat or sugar water. You can also make your garden grubby for wasps with certain smells so that they might not settle in your area in the first place. The stinging insects have a very sensitive sense of smell, so they not only immediately smell the Danish pastries on your coffee table, but also prefer to run away from smells that are less tempting for them.
In order to have a source of wasp-repelling scent in the garden permanently or at least throughout the summer, some types of herbs are ideal. These mainly include:
- Basil
- Lemon Verbena
- Frankincense plant
The best thing about it: These aromatic herbs can be a great enrichment for yourself and your kitchen.
Wasps, on the other hand - and some garden pests too - turn up their noses at the aromatic, fresh, spicy smell of basil. They also can't stand ethereal, lemony scents. Lemon verbena exudes a particularly intense scent, which makes a wonderful tea herb. But lemon balm is also effective and can be used for salads, desserts and also for teas.
What can also drive away wasps is the incense plant. It is not an edible culinary herb, but rather an ornamental foliage plant. With its scent, which is very similar to real frankincense, it works effectively against wasps and other pests such as mosquitoes. The disadvantage: The intense smell takes some getting used to, even for some human noses.
