Q: My wife and I just moved here from San Diego and had a concrete patio installed in our back yard. We live on a small lake and get eaten alive by mosquitoes when we’re outside. I’m looking at planting mosquito repellent plants around the patio. Are there any you can suggest?

A: I wish there was such a thing as a mosquito repellent plant but there is not. It’s true that the sap of some plants (scented geranium, lemon grass, etc) is mildly repellent to mosquitoes but you’d have to crush the leaves and rub them on your arms to have any effect. I’m aware of two items that might help: the Terminix AllClear Mister (www.allclearmister.com) and the Thermacell Mosquito Repellent Lantern (www.thermacell.com). In my own experience, an oscillating fan on a pedestal keeps mosquitoes at bay very effectively.