Dirt on the Strip: How to Reclaim Your Porch from the Bugs

By Barbara LeForge, Golden Strip News Editor

Let’s be completely honest: the absolute worst part of being outside in the South right now is the bugs. If you are a South Carolina resident, you know this exact time of year simply as Bug Season—that lovely window where the humidity hits a casual 90% and the local mosquitoes treat your ankles like an all-you-can-eat lowcountry boil. It’s the time of summer where “putting on perfume” just means layering Deep Woods OFF over your sunscreen, and you genuinely can’t tell if that’s a welcome evening breeze or a giant palmetto bug flying directly at your face.

From relentless mosquitoes to aggressive gnats, the battle for the backyard is in full swing across the Upstate. While chemical sprays and heavy foggers have long been the traditional defense, a growing number of local homeowners are turning toward a greener, more sustainable solution. Backyard gardeners and landscaping enthusiasts are increasingly utilizing “functional flora”—which is just a fancy term for strategic plant placement designed to naturally tell the bugs to back off while you try to enjoy your porch.

According to horticulture experts, the secret lies in the volatile essential oils packed inside specific plant leaves. To insects, these strong, aromatic fragrances act as natural deterrents, masking the scents of carbon dioxide and lactic acid that draw pests to humans.

But you shouldn’t have to abandon your porch until October. If you want to reclaim your outdoor living space without living in a permanent cloud of chemical spray, you can let your landscaping do some of the heavy lifting. Local experts recommend four key botanical defenders that thrive in our intense heat:

The Patio Defenders

• Citronella Grass & Lemongrass: Don’t just buy the fake, smoky candles—plant the real thing. True citronella grass and its culinary cousin, lemongrass, contain the natural aromatic oils that mosquitoes detest. Both thrive in full sun and serve as excellent, fast-growing privacy screens when planted in large patio containers right next to your seating area so the breeze wafts the scent around you.

• Rosemary & Lavender: These tough, sun-loving perennials thrive in our intense heat and pull double duty. They look beautiful, smell fantastic to us, and contain high concentrations of essential oils that clear out mosquitoes, flies, and moths. Because they prefer well-drained soil, they are ideal candidates for raised beds or decorative pots placed directly on your seating decks.

• Marigolds: These bright little workhorses produce a distinct scent that acts as a natural border wall for bugs. Marigolds contain pyrethrum—a compound found in many commercial insect repellents. Planting a border of marigolds in containers around the perimeter of your patio or in the surrounding beds deters pests and adds a bright pop of summer color.

• Basils and Mints: For tabletop defense, few plants outperform the mint family (including peppermint and spearmint) and sweet basil. Mosquitoes absolutely hate these strong, pungent, herbaceous scents. Just keep the mints strictly restricted to pots so they don’t take over your entire yard and become a permanent landscaping emergency!

The Golden Strip Tip: To get the absolute most out of a natural bug-repelling garden, gardeners suggest a simple hands-on approach. Gently bruise or rustle a few leaves of these plants when you sit down. Crushing the foliage slightly releases a fresh burst of those aromatic essential oils into the air, creating a natural shield right when outdoor activity begins.

As Upstate residents look for ways to enjoy evening sweet tea without the constant, frantic swatting, these natural alternatives prove that sometimes the best defense against Southern nature is nature itself.

About the Author

Barbara LeForge is a passionate storyteller, dedicated community leader, and active participant in the Mauldin community, where she serves as her neighborhood’s HOA board president. A former educator, Barbara now homeschools her four amazing children, balancing daily lessons with the vibrant chaos of a busy home. When she isn’t running community meetings or editing local news, you can find her tending to her backyard oasis as an experienced gardener or working on her next literary project as a published author. She loves sharing her practical tips, local insights, and a little Southern humor with her neighbors through her regular column space.