Worried of snakes? If you are worried about snakes then consider growing natural plants that repel snakes around your house. Snakes might be an essential part of any ecosystem, but many species possess a defensive trait that is harmful or even deadly to humans hence why they need to be kept far away from home. If you live in a snake prone area then we advised using certain plants that will repel both non-venomous and venomous snakes around your garden.
Many homeowners are okay with birds and butterflies but probably won’t welcome snakes on their property and the dangers of snake are always present if you are an avid gardener or landscaper. If you are looking to deter snakes then you need to look for plants that are reliable for repelling snakes.
If you live in an area of the country where snakes thrive and children can become the first target as they can unwittingly venture into the snake’s habitat hence for safety reasons, they need to be kept away from the house have, so employing a mixture of snake repellant plants is the best way to create a reliable snake deterrent.
Choosing plants that repel snakes depends on your natural ecosystem and when used correctly, they can be incredibly effective and you can always have a bird catcher ready to leap into action but for a more preventive measure, this article contains easy to grow plants that repel snakes.
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What are the best snake repellant plants to grow in your garden?
Snake repellant plants are used in an effort to deter pests, these plants have a bitter taste and strong smells that can cause discomfort and disorientation to snakes when they slither over them however store-bought repellant might only affect certain snakes and you should have certain varieties of repellant plants together as they are more effective. The following are seven easy to grow snake repellant plants.
1. Marigolds
Marigolds are the most commonly used plants for deterring snakes, the roots grow deep and aggressively which gives off a strong odor which repels many garden pests and critters. This has a bright beautiful flower that looks good on your property and it has been traditionally been implemented to deter moles and gophers and this can be found in its root. The roots grow deep and the strong odor from it keeps pests from settling it.
Marigolds can provide a hiding spot for mice and other snake preys. Insects and nematodes are not particularly fond of the marigold scents, furthermore, homeowners and farmers use it against all possible snake appearance.
2. West Indian Lemongrass
You can never go wrong with choosing the west Indian lemongrass as a snake repellant plant if you want to repel snakes from your garden. It produces a citrus smell that deters snakes and what is even better is that it is a low maintenance plant. West Indian lemongrass plant requires adequate water to thrive especially during summer hen the leaves are dry and it also makes an attractive addition to any landscape.
This plant grows really fast and it can reach a height of 1.5 meters but this is considered one of the best plants in repelling snakes, ticks and even mosquitoes from your garden.
3. Pink Agapanthus
The pink agapanthus is of the onion family and it is also referred to as the society garlic or Tulbaghia violacea.
This plant has a great tolerant to significant heat which makes it perfect for the summer season and it does look good in anyone’s garden. Pink agapanthus can help repel fleas and mosquitoes and the scent of both the flowers and the foliage si irritating to snakes hence you should consider placing it in and out of your house.
4. The Mother-in-law’s Tongue
Another popular option to consider is the mother-in-law’s tongue plant, this is one of the best plants to repel snakes and this is because of its sharp leaves and also because the plant rejuvenates the oxygen at a higher than normal rate. Snakes find the sight of this plant frightening which makes it a great plant to have around the house to act as a barrier to keeping snake out and it is a low maintenance plant as well.
5. Indian Snakeroot
Indian snakeroot is also known as devil pepper or sarpagantha and it contains reserpine which courses unconsciousness and lowers the heart rate. This plant has been used as a traditional medicine for years by Indians and other countries in East Asia. The India snakeroot is used to rate snake bit and both the foliage and the roots are used to repel snakes as well. People either have the foliage eaten or rubbed on the affected skin to hopefully cure them.
6. Onion And Garlic
Onion and garlic are very useful garden plant to have around the house to help repel snakes, both plants give off a smell that snakes do not like and chances are that it will keep quite a number of pests and animals out as well. The smell from garlic and onions plants not just disliked by snakes but confuses them as well and all snakes trying to enter your property will be promptly dissuaded from doing so.
Garlic plants are thought to be the best plants for dissuading snake from entering the garden, the plant gives an oily residue when a snake slithers over a clove and this oil acts just like onions when we slice it, the aroma is disorienting.
7. Mugwort
Mugwort is a plant also known as wormwood and it has long been traditionally used as medicine in China, Korea and Japan. Snakes tend to veer away from mugwort, and while this is a good thing in keeping snakes away from your property, you should be prepared for how fast mugwort can spread around your garden and they won’t quickly wither even if they are not properly maintained.
It has essential oils that have insecticide characteristics hence they are commonly used to deter pests and in terms of its physical appearance, it has stems that can easily reach a height of three feet or more.
Conclusion
Snakes might not be damaging to the garden in fact common varieties prey on other pests such as slugs, beetles, mice and voles however poisonous species can be a threat to green thumbs and pets hence should be kept away from the property.
To effectively repel snakes, your fence must reach about 6 inches into the ground and slant outward at a 30-degree angle and to also prevent snakes from making their home in your garden, ensure to keep your grass neatly trimmed and your yard free of brush piles and other debris.
