Tips to Oust Mosquitoes from Your Garden

By J. A. Young

Mosquitoes in our yards and gardens are more than just a nuisance. In many states, the deadly virus West Nile Disease is proving the latest threat posed by these nasty creatures. Of the 2800 species of mosquitoes worldwide, 150 can be found in the U.S. Of these 150 types, only female mosquitoes bite; they require the protein in blood to produce their eggs. There are all sorts of sprays and chemicals used to control their numbers, but there are also natural ways to combat these voracious blood-suckers. The following article offers natural ways gardeners can rid mosquitoes from their yards.

Garlic is the main component in many herbal remedies. Mosquitoes hate it. Gardeners who eat lots of garlic may find that they scratch those mosquito bites far less. Of course, you would have to eat a lot of garlic and you may find that you repel more than just mosquitoes. Nevertheless, organic gardeners use garlic sprays, powders and plantings to help deter the creatures. It may not reduce their numbers dramatically, but when coupled with other natural combatants, you may see a reliable reduction.

Researchers have found that catnip will repel all varieties of mosquitoes. They believe an essential oil found in catnip, the one that gives it its characteristic odor, is actually more effective at repelling these pests that Deet, the chemical used in most commercial insect repellants. Scientists aren't yet certain if it's simply the smell mosquitoes don't like or if the odor is actually an irritant for them, but either way, it is a terrific natural mosquito repellant.

Rosemary is prized in herbal gardens for its obvious kitchen uses. Chicken and lamb owe many a savory moment to rosemary rubs. This wonderful and rather lovely herb is also adroit at sending mosquitoes off in a hurry. If you are working in your garden, simply break off a branch and rub it over the exposed areas of your skin.

Citronella oil is a safe and effective way to keep mosquitoes away during your garden parties and backyard entertainments. Your online garden store or local garden center will have everything from citronella table candles to shoulder-high citronella torches you can mount around the pool. For personal use, try mixing a few drops of citronella oil with a few drops of olive oil and apply at your pulse points like perfume.

Vanilla mixed with some olive oil and applied to the skin also seems to drive mosquitoes away. Vanilla is such a pleasant scent that gardeners may attract their own species to the garden.

 

Gardeners may also want to plant marigolds in their flowerbeds. Not only are their bright orange and yellow blooms cheery, but they produce a pungent odor that is unattractive for mosquitoes.

Gardeners and landscapers who have water elements in their yards should be especially mindful of mosquito control. You may need more than plants to get rid of mosquitoes and their larvae. Luckily, there are a number of animals that like nothing better than a mosquito for supper. Many beneficial animals can greatly help reduce mosquito populations who use water sources to breed. Toads can eat between fifty and one hundred mosquitoes and slugs per night, so having them in your yard near your garden pond is a wonderfully natural way to get rid of mosquitoes.

Stocking your garden pond with guppies or goldfish is also a natural way to get rid of mosquitoes and their larvae. Bats also like to munch mosquitoes, but you probably don’t want them hanging around your garden parties.

Gardeners may also want to take some personal precautions when working into the evening when mosquitoes are particularly ravenous. During mosquito season, lay off banana consumption; mosquitoes are thought to love how bananas react with the body's chemistry.

Remember, eliminating stagnant water from your yard will also help reduce mosquito numbers. Even removing piles of moisture-retaining leaves will help in the cause. While none of these safe organic methods may conquer the troublesome insect alone, taken together, may prove the dramatic means necessary to protect yourself and your company against one of nature's most deadly beasts.

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