How can vertical gardening prevent dengue?

House plants and vertical gardening have another interesting appeal. In light of the recent outbreaks of dengue fever, these little pots and plants can create a minion arsenal of their own to prevent it. Fight dengue and beautify your home garden with some little adjustments at the same time.

We all know that dengue fever is caused by the spread of aedes aegypti mosquitoes looming around. We can comprise simple habits in our lifestyle to prevent it from spreading and vertical gardening can be your weapon!

This species of mosquitoes is particularly very sensitive to smell. By growing a few selected herbs, you can stave them off. A popular plant that all Dhaka indoor gardeners grow is mint. The strong and energising aroma of mint is fancied by us, but not by mosquitoes! Housing this plant will keep them at bay.

Two additional herbs that will keep mosquitoes afar are basil and rosemary. Basil is a first choice when it comes to houseplants. You can tear off the leaves and directly rub on your wrists for more protection. Although rosemary is not yet prevalent among Dhaka residents, they are widely available in large supermarkets with a plant section. Rosemary is also a fragrant herb used in cooking. It is always handy to have a stock of these right at your disposal.    

A great addition to your vertical garden in terms of both beauty enhancement and prevention is marigold flowers. Marigold is synonymous to typical Bangladeshi flowers. Their vibrant orange and yellow shades add a pop of colour to any dull surrounding. The strong smell diffusing from them prevents mosquitoes from lingering around in your house. 

Opting for these particular plants will aid you in several ways, whether for cooking or shooing away mosquitoes. However, you should also note that mosquitoes prevail in soggy places. Thus, it is of paramount importance that you take extra preventive measures. Such measures include loosening soil in potted plants, removing stagnant water from pots, changing water from vases and clearing fallen leaves regularly.

Do not let your technique of prevention be a source of prevalence. Happy gardening!

Photo: LS Archive/Sazzad Ibne Sayed