No. I plant basil everywhere around my garden, as it is supposed to have a repellent property. I also don’t go out in the late afternoon ie times when skeeters are likely to be about. I only stay out for the shortest time, and keep moving the whole time. I do have citronella candles to light if I decide to sit for a minute or two, but I usually just do my outdoor chores as fast as possible and then dash back to the house for sitting.
It may be an 'ol wives tale' but consumption of garlic is also reputed to have repellent qualities to mosquitoes.
Garlic also allegedly has some anti-viral and anti-bacterial qualities as well.
I would suggest daily consumption of garlic in soups, stews, salads, or even slivers of garlic incised into meats prior to roasting,
to build up the repellent characteristics in your immune system several weeks before the expected mosquito infestation.
Perhaps a paste of baking soda will reduce the inflammation of mosquito bite welts that show up on fair-skinned complexion.
My favorite spice is 'roasted garlic' because once cooked or roasted over 140 degrees, it looses its bitter taste, and becomes a mild flavor enhancer.
Perhaps growing and regular consumption of both basil and garlic will address your mosquito bite problem.
Any thoughts ?
Re: Skeeters
I tried something different this year for homemade mosquito repellent. Now, I don’t think this would work as well as some repellents. I am usually not out at dusk or dawn and we almost always have a breeze which keeps the mosquitoes away. But, I do like greeneyes and grow basil everywhere. I found years ago that crushing a leaf and rubbing it over a bite helps a bit but it also repels insects from the spot where you’ve rubbed it. Often if I’m out I’ll crush and rub a few leaves on my ankles which seem to attract every biting thing. But in hot summer, it’s too much body area to try and rub the basil everywhere. Essential oil costs too much even dilluted in a carrier oil.
I had harvested a bunch of basil to dry early this summer while our area was flooding. Instead of throwing stems and such in compost, I boiled them up, let them steep overnight then refrigerated. After all our flooding the mosquitoes were horrible but I would splash that tea on my bare legs and arms when I went out to garden and it seemed to help some. Not perfect, but after all that flooding it was hot, humid and no breeze so all help was appreciated.