Allium plants
The allium family of plants are known for being active repellers for many pests and unwanted animals, including snakes! Whether you choose garlic, leek, chives, onion or even agapanthus, aphids will not enjoy any of their strong scents.
In our opinion, pick an allium plant that’s quick growing and easy to maintain, like chives. The added plus of these is that you can use them for dinner as well!
Marigolds
Marigolds are known by gardeners far and wide as a pest control plant. However, the specific reason why is unknown. While many do say, it is the scent that marigolds release, similar to allium, that wards off aphids, there could be a couple more reasons.
Marigolds have been proven to help kill nematodes (small parasitic worms) because they release a toxic chemical from their roots into the soil. This beautiful flower is also a huge attractor of ‘good insects’ or bugs that eat all the aphids and other ‘bad insects’.
Regardless of how marigolds get rid of an aphid infestation, they’re pretty, easy to grow, and look great in any garden.
Catnip
While it does attract cats, catnip is a great repeller of many insects. This is because of the ingredient nepetalactone that is present in its genetic makeup. This active ingredient creates a natural repellent that is great not only for aphids but also for many insects.
It is also recommended to grow and collect catnip around mosquito season, as this natural deterrent works wonders in preventing mozzie bites!
Fragrant herbs
Of course, herbs are one of the best ways to repel aphids, and you can also eat them. The best three herbs to use are fennel, dill and coriander due to their aniseedy, strong scent that is hated by the sap-sucking insect.
Plant any of these four plants in and around your garden, and watch the aphids slowly disappear!
Make sure to add these plants specifically around other vegies, flowers and shrubs prone to an aphid attack or are very sensitive to pest damage.
Trap plants for aphids
Going in the opposite direction, there are also plants that can be used to ‘trap’ an aphid. This is done by attracting all of the aphids to a specific plant, in which it doesn’t matter if it gets damaged.
This leaves your more sensitive plants and the plants you wish to harvest from, like citrus trees, free from plague and disease.
The best plants to use as an aphid trap are extremely hardy plants that are, of course, very attractive to an aphid. We recommend using either nasturtiums or sunflowers, as they are both strong enough to withstand an aphid infestation without garnering too much damage.