Keep Wasps Out Of Your Yard With A Fragrant Herb They Can't Stand

More often than not, wasps are a deeply unwelcome sight in your yard, even becoming a source of fear for some. This is certainly justified — their stings are deeply painful and can be incredibly dangerous for those who are allergic — but that doesn't mean you need to come out guns-a-blazing. Killing wasps living in your lawn should be a last resort, as these insects are actually beneficial members of the ecosystem that help out bees and birds with pollination. Instead of relying on powerful sprays and insecticides, consider gently deterring them with a more natural approach: bay laurel.

Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis), also commonly known as a bay leaf tree or sweet bay, can do more than provide an added boost of seasoning in your home-cooked meals. While humans enjoy the fragrance and flavor these leaves impart, wasps don't agree — they will steer clear of the bitter smelling plant. Adding a bay laurel tree to your garden can create a bit of a barrier for these insects and lessen the chance that they'll find the area hospitable, but you'll likely see more results if you pick the leaves and crush them to release more of their natural oils. As with any holistic approach to pest control whose efficacy hasn't been directly confirmed with scientific research, however, this advice shouldn't be relied upon as the only tool you use to keep wasps away — but it certainly won't hurt. Clean up the things that are attracting wasps to your yard and garden, like standing water and sources of food, and try to avoid planting wasp-attracting flowers. If the area doesn't provide food and shelter, they likely won't stick around.

Bay laurel trees and shrubs will thrive in warm, sunny locations — their ideal USDA Hardiness Zones are 8 to 10, though you can keep them in pots and overwinter them indoors if you live somewhere chillier. They're not picky about soil type, but they do need full or partial sun and good drainage. Bay laurels are fairly innocuous-looking slow growers, but their lovely fragrance and evergreen color are what really set them apart in the garden. The fragrance isn't just beneficial for keeping away wasps, either — when dried, the leaves have been shown to deter pantry pests like the red flour beetle.

Bay laurel can be styled as either a tree or a shrub. In ideal conditions it can reach up to 12 feet tall and 30 feet wide, but because it grows slowly, it's a popular choice for container gardening or creating privacy hedges. Care-wise, it's fairly low maintenance. When it's first planted, it needs thorough watering to get established, but you can back off in the following seasons — it prefers drier conditions over wet, soggy, soil. A balanced fertilizer in spring can help boost its growth, and a trim in late winter or early spring will keep it from looking scraggly. Because this plant is native to the same region, consider planting it alongside some Mediterranean herbs you can grow in containers. Herbs like rosemary and basil will have similar care needs, but they've also been shouted out as plants that can keep away wasps and other pesky insects.