06/23/2026
Your lemongrass isn't just growing—it's weaponizing your backyard air against mosquitoes.
Here's the science nobody talks about: those blade-like leaves contain citral oil in specialized cells that rupture with the slightest movement. Every breeze, every brush past the plant releases a concentrated burst that doesn't chase mosquitoes away—it literally jams their CO2-tracking equipment. They fly in circles looking for you, but their sensors can't lock on. It's biological interference, and it works in a roughly 10-foot radius around a mature clump.
But here's where it gets even better: those same allelopathic compounds leaching from the roots? They're suppressing w**d germination in a 2-foot circle underground. You're getting natural w**d control and mosquito confusion from the same plant.
Lemongrass needs full sun and at least 6 hours of it. Zone 9+ gardeners can plant it directly in the ground where it'll form massive clumps. Everyone else: grow it in a 5-gallon container you can overwinter indoors near a south-facing window. Water when the top inch dries out—consistent moisture keeps those oil cells active and pumping. The bushier your plant gets, the more chemical chaos it creates.
Three pots clustered near your most-used outdoor space beats a dozen citronella candles. Not even close.
Are you growing lemongrass yet, or still trusting candles that don't work? [9DKB3]
