Flies are relatively harmless, but they can be quite annoying. We'll show you which plants will repel flies outdoors and indoors.
Flies can get on our nerves, whether it's the really big bugs or just the tiny fruit flies. Sometimes it feels like flies have a sixth sense for when they can bother and annoy us the most. In principle, flies are more of a nuisance than harmful, but thinking about where flies can be found can be unsavory.
Flies have an extremely fine nose and can be deterred by different smells. The essential oils of various plants in particular often have a deterrent effect on them. Here you will find plants that have a deterrent effect on flies and are said to help repel these pesky insects.
Trees against flies
Have you ever noticed that walnut trees (Juglans regia) are often planted around seating areas in parks and that it is also common on farms to plant walnuts around the yard? There is a simple reason for this, because the essential oils in walnuts repel insects such as flies, bugs or moths. Notice how many insects are buzzing around when you stand under a walnut tree - you won't notice many. The leaves of the walnut exude these repellents, and if you crush the leaves and rub them on your arms, mosquitoes and flies will surely leave you alone for a while.
Another tree that helps against the little pests is the horse chestnut (Castanea). To be more precise: the fruits of the chestnut effectively keep fruit flies away and can therefore be used in the kitchen. So if you go for a walk in the fall and see the beautifully shiny chestnuts lying on the ground, feel free to pack a few and take them home with you. Just put the chestnuts inthe fruit bowl and marvel at its effect - the fruit flies will avoid the bowl. You can also put the chestnuts next to the organic waste to keep the fruit flies away from there as well. Here's more information on fruit flies and the best way to get rid of them.
Herbs against flies
Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) is easily recognized by its round leaves and bright orange flowers. The nasturtium is an extremely robust plant that can also be cultivated in shady places and still grows quickly. It is also a real all-round talent, as not only does its smell make flies run away, but also snails let off the plant. Find out more about snail-resistant plants in our special article here.
We also count different mosquitoes among the flies. The best way to keep these little insects away is with lemony smells. Herbs with a lemony scent are, for example, lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), lemon verbena (Aloysia thryphylla) or lemongrass ( Cymbopogon citratus). These fragrant herbs are also particularly good for refreshing teas and flavorings of various dishes, and conveniently repel small flies and mosquitoes.
Other herbs that can be helpful against flies are the aromatic mints. These can also be used in teas and many different dishes. Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is particularly effective because it not only deters houseflies, but also mosquitoes. Don't be surprised if velvet paws suddenly frolic in your garden, because they are not scared off by the mint like flies, but rather magically attracted. They love to roll in and eat the mint - catnip didn't get its name for nothing.
With the mints, you can also use peppermint (Mentha x piperita) to repel flies. This can be grown well in a small pot on the windowsill, where it exudes its refreshing smell and thus keeps annoying insects away. However, the typical smell of peppermint only comes into the air when the plant is injured, so it is worth plucking off a leaf and rubbing it between your fingers in between. But dried peppermint shoots on the window sill are also ideal for repelling flies.
Soothing, pleasantly scented and helpful against flies - that can only be lavender (Lavandula). The beautiful violet flowers attract bees and butterflies but are successful in keeping pests such as flies away.
The essential oils of lavender are responsible for this effect. But always make sure that the lavender is placed in a sunny place where the herb is protected from the wind. The lavender is also perfect for the windowsill to keep insects away and to always be ready to hand for us.
Mediterranean plants contain many useful herbs, including basil (Ocimum basilicum), which not only keeps flies and mosquitoes away, but can also deter wasps. Basil is very sensitive when it comes to its water supply, on the one hand it must not be too wet, on the other hand basil does not like drought either. Otherwise, a sunny, warm place is sufficient for the basil to grow well. So, to benefit from the fly-repellent scent of basil, place the potted plant either on your windowsill or on your balcony table to be left alone by annoying insects.
Ornamental plants against flies
The classic among balcony plants are the geraniums (Pelargonium), which enhance our balconies with their colorful flowers. Regular watering and a sunny spot are often enough to enjoy the splendor of the geraniums. The smell of geraniums deters many insects, including flies. You can find more information on caring for geraniums in our special article on caring for geraniums.
Another effective fly repellent ornamental plant is Marigold (Tagetes). Its yellow-orange flowers enhance every bed and keep many insects away with their smell. Unfortunately, marigolds attract snails. But you can also use this property to attract snails to this one plant and thus protect the rest of your garden. Marigold therefore has a double effect: on the one hand it deters flies and other insects and on the other hand it attracts snails.
You probably know the yellow umbelliferous flowers of the tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) from roadsides. But as pretty as the plant is to look at, the smell of the beautiful flowers has an effect on manypest deterrent. You can put up bouquets of tansy in your living room and keep annoying flies away. By the way, marigolds (Calendula officinalis) have a similar effect - together with marigolds in a vase you can use their effect against flies twice. In the garden, marigolds are not only suitable for repelling flies, but are also extremely popular with bumblebees and bees. Most of us know marigold as an effective healing herb for wounds or dry skin.
If you are interested in medicinal plants with natural effects, read our special article.
Carnivorous plants against flies
Other plants that can also help control pesky little flies are carnivorous plants. They don't scare off the flies, but eat them right away. Carnivorous plants work in different ways, either with snap traps, pitfalls or sticky traps. Although they usually only eat smaller mosquitoes and can't do very much with large houseflies, they are extremely interesting, which is why many have made a fool of them.
One of the best known of these plants is the Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula), which catches its prey with a folding mechanism. They can catch insects such as flies or ants with their special trapping leaf, since this trapping leaf can snap shut very quickly when it receives a stimulus. This is why the Venus flytrap is particularly suitable for larger mosquitoes: if their target is on the snap-trap, it snaps shut. The mosquito is trapped and is then digested by the plant.
Unfortunately, the plant can only catch one mosquito per trap and is not suitable for a comprehensive control of insect plagues - because after a maximum of seven catches, the individual trapping leaves of the Venus flytrap unfortunately die off. It is also problematic that the prey must not be larger than a third of the snap trap, otherwise digestion takes too long and the plant dies from an excess of nutrients. Here you can learn more about the Venus flytrap and how to properly care for this plant.
Another species of carnivorous plants are pitcher plants (Nepenthes), which trap their prey with pitfalls. There are around 100 different types, all of which form different "jugs". The insects fall into these pitchers, which contain the acidic digestive fluidwhich then breaks them down and provides the plant with its nutrients.
The sundew (Drosera) shows the third way how carnivorous plants get their prey and rid us of annoying insects. He catches his prey with a slightly different system. Because its leaves are full of sticky glands where the prey gets stuck and caught.
So all these carnivorous plants are practical on the one hand and wonderful ornamental plants on the other.
Vegetables against flies
Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) are a must in almost every garden. Because they are not only extremely delicious, but their smell also repels various insects - including flies. Mosquitoes don't like tomatoes at all either and are put off by the smell of the plant.
If you want to know more about mosquitoes and how best to get rid of them, read our special article.
Even beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) (regardless of whether they are runner beans or bush beans) exude an intense scent and thus deter insects. The legumes are good for our digestion and can either be grown directly in the garden, but are also suitable as container plants. Here's an in-depth look at bean varieties, from well-established to new bean varieties you may not know about.
Plants against flies at a glance
Here are all the plants that drive flies away with their scent:
- Walnut Tree
- Horse chestnut
- Nasturtium
- Lemon Balm, Lemon Verbena, Lemongrass
- Mint, Peppermint
- Lavender
- Basil
- Geraniums
- Tags
- tansy
- Carnivorous Plants
- Tomatoes
- Beans
If you want to learn more about other ways to get rid of pesky flies, have a look here.