This common fruit can keep pests away through the summer months

Everyone looks forward to spending time outdoors in the summer months when the weather permits. But those nasty pests lurking around the backyard can turn a dream into a nightmare.

Sure you can use sprays and insecticides to combat those pesky mosquitoes and gnats among other creepy crawlers looking to join you. However, with some common fruits you most likely have in your kitchen you may be able to get a bit of respite from bugs, not just for you but for your plants as well.

This common fruit can keep pests away through the summer months

Starting the morning with a nice glass of freshly squeezed orange juice or having some slices in a hot summer afternoon is great way to get some vitamins. But the benefits of this citrus fruit don’t end there. Instead of chucking out the leftover peels, they could help keep away pests like mosquitoes that can quickly ruin an evening on the porch or patio. Leaving the peels around your patio or in plantings is an environmentally friendly way to repel those pesky unwanted summer guests, as well as other unwanted insects.

How so? They contain high limonene content like other citrus fruits such as limes, lemons and grapefruit. Research has shown that this naturally occurring chemical can repel certain undesirable insects like mosquitoes as well as cockroaches and houseflies along with others that may be attacking your plants as well.

However, if you’re not so keen on having orange or other citrus peels lying around, you can also use plants themselves to do some of the work of keeping the pests at a distance. Some of these plants include citronella and lemon grass which contain similar natural compounds as citrus fruits that repel pests.

Other plants that can not only beautify your patio or porch, as well as decorate a dish, but also be an effective protection against annoying multi-legged critters are basil, lavender, marigolds, peppermint and rosemary.