Spiders can be creepy and scary to have around the home. If you have a spider issue and wonder how to keep them at bay, there is a solution! Here are several plants that repel spiders that you can grow, are low-maintenance, and perfect for the job.
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The biggest point with plants that repel spiders is that they are mostly all scented! It’s the fragrance of the plant that wards off the spiders.
Lavender
Lavender is a favorite for many people mainly because of the scent it produces. This scent helps keep spiders away. Lavender can grow in pots, making it an ideal house plant. Lavenders does grow quickly, so prune them back when they flower.
Lavender is a good plant to keep in a sunny window, as they prefer full sunlight. Water when the soil feels dry to the touch. You can also find other lavender companion plants to grow with your lavender!
Mint
You might have noticed that mint is one of the ingredients used in a lot of insect repellents. Growing the mint in your home will definitely help keep spiders at bay. Mint spreads quickly, so growing them in pots is a great way to keep them from taking over a garden.
Additionally, you can cut them down or re-pot them as required to keep them at a manageable size. Mint prefers indirect sunlight and a lot of water. Water when the soil feels dry, or even a day before it might feel dry to the touch. In addition to making your home smell nice and keeping off spiders, you can also use this mint as a spice in many recipes or make fresh tea from it.
Basil
Basil is another perfect plant to keep to steer spiders away. Plus, you can also use it in your cooking! It’s also really easy to grow from seed, which you can read about here.
Be sure to keep it moist, grow it in warm temperatures, and ensure it gets at least four hours of sunlight every day.
Lemon Balm
Lemon balm is another plant that has so many uses. Not only is it a great plant that repels spiders, but it also is another edible herb. Make a fresh lemon-y herbal tea, or add it to dishes.
It is a pretty easy plant to maintain because it can survive with or without full sunlight. Water when the soil feels dry to the touch, and soak the soil when you do water it. Water needs will vary depending on the season and the sunlight it’s getting.
An important thing to note about lemon balm is that when it flowers, the scent disappears. To keep this from happening, prune the flowers as soon as you see them starting to grow. This is especially important with repelling spiders, because it’s the scent they are repelled by.
Eucalyptus
Your perception of a eucalyptus plant may be of a giant tree that you can probably grow in your backyard, but you can also grow it in a pot. Its strong smell will help you keep spiders from your home. The size of the pot will keep it contained, in addition to pruning it regularly.
Grow it in well-draining soil, keep it well watered and ensure it gets plenty of sunlight.
Citronella
Citronella is a plant with two different identities associated with it. This one is the lemongrass citronella. This is where the scent of citronella comes from that is used to deter mosquitoes. The other is a citronella geranium, which smells like citronella but is a geranium!
Spiders are averse to the smell it produces, so it’s perfect to use as a spider repellant. To keep it in good condition, grow it in a warm place, expose it to lots of sunlight, and apply fertilizer as required (check your fertilizer for amounts).
Chrysanthemum
The chrysanthemum is also an effective spider repellant. Grow it in well-draining soil, and don’t expose it to too much sunlight. This may be one of the trickier plants that repel spiders to grow, and that may deter you!
The part of chrysanthemum that produces the scent is the flower, and spiders are only repelled by the scent of this plant. So it has to be flowering to be effective in keeping spiders away. As this plant does not normally flower year-round, this can be difficult to maintain.
You may need to alternate this plant between living outside and indoors depending on if it’s blooming. Just take care to not accidentally bring in any other unwanted insects by doing this!
Rosemary
Another plant that has a myriad of uses is Rosemary. Besides utilizing its pungent smell to repel spiders, you can also use it as an herb, medicine, or for cooking.
Rosemary is a low maintenance plant, just keep it in temperatures where it doesn’t get freezing. Remember to place it strategically where spiders in your home tend to appear. And find out which plants are great rosemary companion plants!
Marigold
Marigolds are amazing plants that you could have growing everywhere for all of their benefits. You can keep your home looking radiant with the marigold, all while deterring spiders.
Marigolds do well in direct sunlight. Additionally, let the soil dry before you water them.
Geranium
Geraniums are beautiful plants that also save you from having to worry about spiders. They love direct sunlight and warm temperatures. Allow the soil to dry before watering them.
The types that especially repel spiders are the ones that are scented, like the citronella geranium. Get that lemony scent from this beautiful flowering geranium!
Plants that are also worthy of a mention but not a dedicated spot on this list include lemon thyme, catnip, chives, petunias, dill, and even onions.!
Additional Tips To Keep Spiders Out Of Your Home
Spiders feed on other insects, so another way to get rid of them is to get rid of these insects. Dust and declutter your home frequently to keep away other insects and ultimately keep away spiders. You may have noticed that the secret with all these plants that repel spiders is their strong scent.
To that effect, you can try crumbling the leaves or flowers around the house if the spider problem is too rampant. You will create a concentration of the smell and drive them away faster. You can also use white vinegar because of its strong smell.
Final Thoughts
These plants that repel spiders should work efficiently, but in case the problem persists, you can resort to insecticides. However, you need to remember that spiders, as annoying and scary as they may be, are an essential component of the ecosystem. They play a role in keeping things balanced. So try these repelling techniques before you resort to other measures!
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