Last year we had a mosquito epidemic in the backyard. It made for some miserable barbecues. In fact, we had to run for cover more than once. Luckily, we found an all natural mosquito repellant yard spray that worked. We don’t believe in spraying chemicals where the kids play and breathe. Plus, there’s the run-off factor. We also used citronella torches and candles. This year we’ll likely do the same. As for next year, we’re planning and planting to get rid of mosquitoes. How so?
We plan to invite some hummingbirds to a mosquito feast. It seems hummingbirds delight in two things. They love honeysuckle. They also love chomping mosquitoes. It’s a perfect combination. We’ll plan on planting some honeysuckle near the patio to encourage hummingbirds. We’ll likely hang some feeders too. We want to give them more than one reason to visit our yard and gobble up those pesky biting bloodsuckers.
Mosquitoes abhor geraniums. They’re easy to grow too. What’s more, rubbing their leaves on skin acts as a personal repellant. Of course, we’ll test our skin for sensitivity before going all out. Some people do have reactions to geranium oil. I’m picturing our patio surrounded by geranium pots. Maybe we could even plant some honeysuckle in the pots with them. Can’t you just see those honeysuckle vines climbing up the side trellis? It’s certainly more tranquil than picturing my family being dive-bombed by thirsty mosquitoes.
This year we’ll spray earlier. Last year we didn’t really expect so many mosquitoes in our yard. We didn’t spray until we were already getting chased out of the yard. Colorado is pretty dry. Honestly, we’ve never had to worry about mosquitoes before. Apparently the new area we live in is ripe for mosquito breeding. It might be all the beautiful bushes surrounding our backyard. It could be the new pond we installed. Whatever the reason, this year, we’ll use a preliminary spray to cut the mosquito population down right away.
Once we fill the pond, we’ll mosquito proof it too. Filling it with goldfish will help. They’ll gobble up the eggs and larvae before they can take flight. It’s a brilliant ecofriendly strategy a friend recommended to us. Of course, we’ll have to make our pond goldfish friendly. Just another good reason not to use pond chemicals.
Naturally, we’ve planted herbs like lemon balm and thyme. Mosquitos don’t like them much. We bought some citronella oil for our tiki-torches the other day. Likely, we’ll get some citronella candles too. With all this planning and planning, I’m looking forward to many mosquito free nights in the backyard this summer. With all these tips, hopefully, you’ll be able to enjoy your backyard more too.
More from Jaipi:
How to Use Natural Methods for Keeping Moles Out of the Garden
How to Use Natural Methods for Keeping Beetles Out of the Garden
How to Use Natural Methods for Keeping Aphids Out of Your Garden
