Kitchen garden enthusiasts in the capital apart from growing organic vegetables, fruits and flowers are now focussing more on pest deterring herbs and plants that help in warding off the looming threat of Chikungunya, dengue and Malaria in the city.
“With minimal fuss and expense one can find place in house from small planters and grow some herbs of one’s choice of herbs such as basil, mint or thyme which repel mosquitoes and flies, so not only are they a good addition to a pot of soup or a salad, they help create a house free of unwanted insects” said Ms Bella Gupta , Secretary, All India Kitchen Garden Association (AIKGA), which organised Udya Mela, a day long fruit, vegetable and flower festival at Gulmohar park in south Delhi today.
“ Another major herb that that performs a double duty is lemon grass as it naturally contains citronella , it adds flavour to various Oriental dishes while helping to deter mosquitoes, naturally. The same can be said of a mint plant. Mint, though a tad bit aggressive in that it can easily overtake a small space, helps to keep nearby plants insect free. Similarly Rosemary is quite useful in repelling mosquitoes and keeping pests away.” Said Ms Gupta.
“Basil is a popular and versatile culinary herb apart from being used in food helps deter both houseflies and mosquitoes. Basil can also be boiled into teas/sprays that will help keep bugs at bay. Rosemary is another herb not liked by mosquito’s, lavender is another pest pestering plant and Garlic is the ultimate answer to mosquito menace ” added Ms Gupta.
The major highlight of the Udyan Mela were stalls selling seeds, seedlings, plants, garden tools, Organic Items, mouth watering food & pickles and Live demo on gardening, plant potting, Bottle garden,Tray Garden, water garden Rock Garden & vegetable carving .
