Everyone with a lovely garden, patio or deck will surely enjoy sitting outside on a warm summer’s day or evening. But if there is one thing that can blight it for you, it is mosquitoes. Sometimes, it only takes one of two persistent mosquitoes to make your blood boil. Mosquitoes are a pest for sure, but they can also be a health hazard, spreading dengue fever and malaria and several other really horrible diseases. So how do you go about keeping mosquitoes out of your garden?
Maybe you cannot realistically hope to keep mosquitoes out of your garden entirely, but there are some things you can do to deter them and keep their numbers down. Stopping them breeding in your garden is the first step to take. Mosquitoes do not have a long flying span. A lot of the mosquitoes that bother you in your garden will have been born in your garden.
Mosquitoes lay their eggs in stagnant water, so make sure that there is none in your garden. They will lay eggs in water butts, dogs’ bowls, water that has collected in old tyres, bottles and tins and your rubbish bins, so make sure that no water can collect anywhere. Blocked gutters are another breeding site. if you have a water feature, put fish in it to eat the larvae.
Mosquitoes detest the smell of lemon, so you could grow citronella plants, lemon thyme, lemon grass and even a lemon tree, if the climate is right. If not, you could burn citronella scented candles or oil in the vicinity They not only keep the mosquitoes at bay, but the aroma is very fresh and envigourating.
If they are still bothering you, you may have to resort to mosquito repellent. You could impregnate your clothing with permethrin, like the army does for jungle warfare or just rub a deet-based product on your skin. There are also plenty of natural mosquito repellents too, such as lemon oil, citronella and eucalyptus oil.
Garlic is supposed to repel mosquitoes, so you could try growing garlic close at hand. It is also meant to repel ticks and has demonstrated to discourage greenfly (aphids) from roses. What could be better, particularly if you like garlic as well?
You could hang up one or two of those lamps that attract insects to them and them vapoourize them with a high voltage shock. These electric bug killers are particularly good for killing mosquitoes and house flies, which can also be a nuisance when you are sitting outside.
They are inexpensive and will last for years. They give off a pleasing glow and some claim to be able to clear areas of a quarter, a half and even a full acre of land of all flying insects by the use of the ultraviolet light and pheromones.
By using some or all of the above methods of keeping mosquitoes out of your garden, you should be able to enjoy your drink, a chat or a snooze in complete peace and freedom from flies and mosquitoes.
Owen Jones, the writer of this piece writes on several topics, but is currently concerned with work on mosquito bite treatment problems. If you would like to know more or check out some great offers, please go to our website at Mosquito Bite Swellings.
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January 24 2012 | Gardening | No Comments »
Living in Colorado and being a gardener has been rather difficult during the past couple of years, simply because this region has been experiencing a rather severe drought. Most towns have actually imposed a water restriction and if you go above the allowed useage you will have an unwanted water charge, the allowed usage does not provide you with sufficient water to keep your lawns as well as your plants and flowers. Giving your garden a transformation and also incorporating a few water efficient solutions is a sure way of helping your garden to pull through these drought ridden times. Due to the water friendly methods as well as products which I have put to use in my own flower garden, it is flourishing whilst those close to me are dying. Therefore if you are living in a field that’s going through a drought or if you simply want to conserve water, I suggest you use several of these tactics as well.
To begin with, I took out all my flowers. The soil I’d been using just didn’t retain water very well, therefore I was forced to water approximately double the amount of time as necessary to get it to absorb into the roots of the plants. This dilemma can be quickly solved with the addition of rich compost to your dirt. By keeping the water in your dirt your plants and flowers will be able to survive for an extended period without water.
I planted all my flowers, once I was done getting the dirt prepared for my modern water efficient garden. Before placing the plants and flowers back into the garden I separated them into categories from the smallest amount of water to the most amount of water that each plant called for. Due to the positioning of these flowers, I tend not to squander water on plants and flowers that only require a tiny amount of water.
A drip irrigation system will help reduce the volume of water which is generally used to water the flower garden, and so I hooked up one of these systems. Water is dripped slowly and gradually into the soil using these drip irrigation devices and consequently the majority of the water will be absorbed by the plants roots. Whenever we water we have a tendency to saturate the ground, but a large amount of this water will not get soaked up by the plants roots and is just lost. The drip device corrects these problems.
We consume a bit more water than the allotted allowance, and so to get the additional water to maintain your gardens, a water tank is a great choice and one which I have opted for. Water tanks are available in many shapes and sizes so finding one to suit your needs is quite straightforward. These tanks are available in a variety of colors, so as not to make it unappealing in your yard, you’re able to pick a color that will go with your family home. Just another bill to add to our everyday living, is the water bill. A rain water tank will enable you to bring down the amount of water that you would ordinarily need to have from the town supply and so shrinking your bill. Once you have a rain water tank and you begin to use it, you will find that in place of the tap water, you will now use the tank water for all those outdoor tasks.
For those who still need to have additional water than you can deliver to your flower garden, you may consider which plant life you could possibly replace with less water reliant plants and flowers. Heavenly Bamboo is a plant which is drought tolerant. It is not only tolerant in droughts, but looks rather pretty in any garden, just remember though its berries are usually harmful to animals. Herb plants like rosemary are used in preparing dishes, and are rarely thirsty.
Lavender is yet another really good shrub for drought affected regions and it’s one of my favorites. Surprisingly, this plant calls for hardly any water to stay alive and if you plant it in massive bunches it will look terrific. Here’s another fascinating plant and that is the pineapple sage and yes it really does smell like pineapples. Hummingbirds love the blossoms of the pineapple sage and drinks can be flavored with the leaves.
If perhaps water restrictions are concerning you, then take a look at several of these options. Regardless of whether you’re in a drought ridden area or just aiming to conserve water, you’ll certainly reap the benefits of all of these solutions.
Learn more about water tanks. Stop by Tight Spot Tanks where you can find out all about rainwater tanks and what they can do for you.. Check here for free reprint license: A Rain Water Tank Can Keep Your Flower Garden Alive During The Drought Conditions.
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January 20 2012 | Gardening | No Comments »