Saturday, December 5, 2009

Discovering Mosquito Repellent Plant - Pokok Halau Nyamuk (Citrosa Geranium)
















Sungai Buloh is famous for plant nurseries. As that is our neighborhood, Grace and I decided to pay some of these nurseries a visit. There are many plants and scrubs that we have never seen before. Browsing through rows of these plants is good for an education in nature study. 


We purchase a couple of flowering plants but one of the most interesting one is the mosquito repellent plant known in the Malay language as 'Pokok Halau Nyamuk'. We ask the nursery owner whether this really works and she vows that it does. The Malays have used such plants in their kampongs to get rid of mosquitoes.


We took a whiff of the leaves and true enough, there is a rich fragrance similar to the scent of citronella and a little fresh lemon combined. 

'Pokok Halau Nyamuk' is known as Citrosa Geranium - a hybrid of Chinese Citronella grass and a scented African Geranium. It is about 2 feet (61 cm) tall and has large beautifully configured leaves. The flowers are pink but we have not seen those on our plant yet. It has to be grown in dry area and does not like too much water. Our Citrosa plant has been affected by too much water and is dropping its leaves. 


We have placed our plant in the porch at the back of the house. We have also plucked off some stems of leaves and planted in small pots on our window sill in the kitchen. Amazingly, these stems are growing well. The leaves remain green for weeks. We believe that we have less mosquitoes than before.



We have learned much about our Pokok Halau Nyamuk from the internet. The next stage is to multiplying the number of Citrosa Geraniums in our house., Here are some ideas from the internet (that we have cut and paste) to show you how you can grow and multiply your own mosquito repellent plant:

  • Step 1

    Pelargonium Citrosa, or Citrosa Geraniums, can be started using stem cuttings quite easily. Start with a robust "mother plant" and snip branches off as they become long. This trimming also helps shape the plant. Un-shaped, they can grow as large as four feet high and wide. 


  • Step 2

    To start plants from cuttings, snip the ends of branches and strip all but the end leaves off. You should have two or three nodules (where you pulled off leaves) on your stems. 



  • Step 3

    Dust the ends of the stems with rooting hormone and plant them in peat pots filled with a sterile, light planting medium. Keep the soil moist but not wet to avoid mildew.



  • Step 4

    After about a week to get a good start (developing roots is hard work!), move your plants to a sunny window until after the last frost. I put my Citrosa in an east window. 


  • Step 5

    Put baby Citrosa out after the last frost in your area. Don't bother with fertilizer for this robust plant but make sure it's planted in a good garden soil or potting mixture. Be sure to pinch frequently for bushiness. 


  • Step 6

    Choose a few healthy plants with lots of branches to keep over the winter. Pot them up. Then bring them in and treat them like houseplants. Fertilize lightly in late winter and make sure they get plenty of light. Water when the surface of the soil gets dry to the touch. Don't over water. Trim leggy branches back to encourage bushiness.




Source:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2237718_propogate-mosquito-plants.html





Hi, if you have any great Household tips and ideas, 
feel free to write to me at koolgrace7000@gmail.com. 
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