Stink bugs are really annoying because of how bad they smell. If you accidentally kill a stink bug by squashing it, then you’re going to know it right away due to the foul odor.
If you live in an area that has many stink bugs, then you might see them in your home more often than you’d like. Usually, it’s best to try to capture them alive and put them outside so that you can avoid being assaulted by the stench.
You could try to prevent stink bugs from coming around, too. Many people have had good luck by planting certain plants in their yards that stink bugs don’t like.
Read on to learn about plants that repel stink bugs. This information should allow you to solve your stink bug problem so that you can live in peace without having to worry about foul-smelling bugs.
1 – Garlic
Garlic is well-known for being very odoriferous, and planting it in your garden might help to keep stink bugs away. Stink bugs ironically don’t like plants that have really powerful scents.
If you plant a few garlic plants near your home, then you should be able to keep stink bugs from wanting to get too close. This is a method that works pretty well, and it can be useful for other reasons too.
You’ll likely find it useful to grow garlic for culinary purposes. It’s nice to have fresh garlic that you can utilize in your cooking, and growing several garlic plants should give you more than enough to enjoy some hearty meals.
2 – Radishes
Weirdly enough, planting radishes will help you to repel stink bugs too. If you plant radishes in your garden, then the stink bugs will be far less interested in sticking around.
Stink bugs have no interest in radishes and they might ignore plants that are planted near radishes. If you’re trying to plant things to protect your garden from stink bugs, then going with radishes will be a good idea.
Radishes are another thing that can be beneficial to plant for cooking. You can cook many tasty things when it’s time to harvest the radishes, and caring for them shouldn’t be overly difficult.
3 – Catnip
Catnip is something that people have had success with when it comes to scaring stink bugs away. If you plant catnip on your property, then the stink bugs are going to hate it.
They can’t stand the strong scent of the catnip and will want to get away from it. It’ll keep the stink bugs out of your home in all likelihood.
Of course, the problem with going this route is that it could wind up attracting stray cats. You might be trading one problem for another if you choose to plant catnip, but it might not be so bad.
4 – Lavender
Lavender has a strong smell, but it’s a lot more pleasant than the smell of garlic or catnip. Many people wear perfumes that use lavender scents, and lavender is often used in soaps and laundry detergents.
Planting lavender at home will be a good way to manage your stink bug problem without having to put up with other strong odors. This is a smell that you’ll likely find to be quite pleasant, and it helps that lavender blooms look very enticing.
This is a plant that can add some aesthetic appeal to your garden while also helping you to get rid of stink bugs. Overall, this is a win-win and comes highly recommended as a stink bug repellent method.
5 – Thyme
Thyme is something that you might use in certain dishes, but you might not have been aware of the fact that it can help to repel stink bugs. It’s another type of plant that has a powerful scent, and that means that it makes stink bugs want to stay away.
Planting thyme at specific points throughout your garden could be just the right thing to solve stink bug issues. This is another plant that isn’t hard to care for, and it should make a good addition to your garden area.
If you’re worried about stink bugs entering your home, then try to plant some thyme close to areas where stink bugs might try to enter your home. It should work like a charm to keep the stink bugs from coming inside your house.
6 – Chrysanthemum
Planting a chrysanthemum might be a good idea if you want something that can scare stink bugs away. This is a neat idea because of how pretty the plants are.
If you want something that has a decorative quality to it, then consider going this route. Many people find chrysanthemums to be incredibly beautiful, and these plants can certainly add charm to your garden.
When you want to keep your garden looking nice while still scaring stink bugs away, chrysanthemums will be perfect. You could try this plant in conjunction with some of the others to get great results.
7 – Marigold
Planting marigolds can keep the stink bugs away from your property. It’s a plant that gives off a certain scent that the stink bugs won’t enjoy.
The problem with marigold is that you might not enjoy it either depending on if you have allergies. Marigolds look beautiful, but they do cause some people to go into sneezing fits.
Depending on whether you’re allergic to certain flowers or allergens, it might not be a good idea to plant some of the plants in this article. Just use your best judgment so that you can plant things that won’t bother you.
Final Thoughts
There are many options to consider when it comes to planting plants that can repel stink bugs. Stink bugs generally hate plants with strong odors, and you can easily use this to your advantage.
Just don’t plant things that might give you problems with your allergies. As long as you’re using common sense, it’s not going to be hard to get things under control.
Take the right steps and you shouldn’t have to worry about stink bugs any longer. It won’t take long to get good results once the plants have started to come in, and you’ll know to keep these types of plants in your garden moving forward.
Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.