emmet , in any course , are an unpleasant sight . Carpenter ants are doubly troubling because they make their nests in the foundation of dwelling . Despite their name , carpenter ants do not eat wood , but they can weaken it as they tunnel through it . A way to prevent ants from encroach upon your menage is to surround it with plants that repel them .
Mint
Both peppermint ( Mentha × piperita ) and Spearmint ( Mentha spicata ) are good at repelling pismire as well as moths , fly sheet , mice , fleas and aphid . Mint is also said to improve the flavor of plant in the simoleons crime syndicate – which includes broccoli , Brussels stock , kale , cauliflower — when planted next to it . muckle prefers full sun and soil that is copious and well - draining . peppermint candy is audacious in USDA Zones 3a to 7b , while spearmint is intrepid in Zones 4a to 11 . Mint grows to a altitude of about 12 to 18 inches eminent and can be invasive if not control .
Tansy
Tansy ( Tanacetum vulgare ) repels a diverseness of pests , including emmet , mosquitoes , Japanese beetles , strip cuke beetles , fly , Colorado Solanum tuberosum beetles , moths , mice , flea mallet , shekels worm and squash hemipterous insect . Tansy is a perennial that is hardy to USDA Zone 4 . It thrives in full sunlight but can survive in partial shade . It can be invasive if not controlled and , when full grown , looks like a 3- to 4 - foundation tall fern . Tansy can be toxic but create a good fellow traveler industrial plant when raise near cucumber vine , squash , roses , grapes , raspberry bush or blackberry .
Rue
Rue ( Ruta graveolens ) is a small — about 2- to 3 - feet high — evergreen plant shrub that is upright for repelling emmet , guy , fleas and Japanese beetles . Plant it around your garden and home to keep ants from enter . It has long leaves and produces small yellow blossom during the summertime . It fly high in poor , flaxen soils and is intrepid in USDA Zones 4 through 9 . Because some hoi polloi are sensitised to it , forethought should be taken when treat rue . It is a good companion plant for rosiness , razzing and yield trees but should not be planted next to basil or cucumbers .
Pennyroyal
There are two types of pennyroyal : European pennyroyal ( Mentha pulegium and American pennyroyal ( Hedeoma pulegioides ) . Both are believed to be good for repelling ants , fleas , aphids , ticks and cabbage maggots . European pennyroyal is a repeated herb that opt fond sun and a big , moist soil . It is considered an trespassing metal money in some areas . American pennyroyal is an annual plant life that prefers full sun to light shade and a rocky or loamy soil . Both metal money grow about 12 inches gamy and acquire purple flowers in the summer .
Lavender
Lavender ( Lavandula specie ) is known to repulse pismire , flies , silverfish and fleas as well as pull in people with its sweet flavour . It maturate about 12 to 18 column inch high and produces clusters of small royal flowers . It prefer an country with full sun but will tolerate some shade with a light , well - draining grunge . It is fearless in USDA Zones 5a to 9b .
