Hi,
Where can I find a citronella plant and how difficult is it to make it grow? I have zero gardening skills. I just want to keep some unwanted animals at bay.
I've asked around (West Birmingham) at the usual places (Homebase, Wilko, local hardware/gardening stores), once I mentioned citronella they kept on asking what language I was speaking.
What kind of animals are your trying to keep at bay? As it only releases its oils when crushed I can’t imagine that it will be much use.
Be aware that there are few plants using the name citronella.
Tim
Even the citrus type sprays and crystals sold a cat/fox deterrents don't work and are ignored by the target animal so I too doubt if a shrub that has similar strong odour would work.
Maybe like many other plants with a scent of some kind if it has a deterrent effect it wouldn't be 24/365 and not in all weathers.
Unless he intends to move to the tropics it won't do him much good!
Whether Cymbopogon, Pelargonium 'Citronella', Corymbia (Eucalyptus) citriodora,, Citronella sp, or anything else under those names you are right, they wouldn't survive outside in the UK. I can grow Aloysia citriodora (lemon verbena) outside. It's a very scruffy, weak-stemmed thing, although it has the best of all the lemon scents.
Have you googled it? Brian
If its animals an electric fence is normally better. Of course it does depend on the animal, I doubt Elephants would be deterred. Brian
Brian Gaff snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote
Corse they are, their trunks are more sensitive than most animal legs.
I believe that playing a recording of a swam of bees is the elephant deterrent.
alan_m snipped-for-privacy@admac.myzen.co.uk> wrote
Certainly works in my backyard with a real swarm of bees.
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