There are few things more annoying than sitting down to enjoy a summer evening relaxing in your yard only to hear the sound of buzzing mosquitoes close by. These unwelcome visitors can be a real nuisance, and some can be dangerous if they bite. You may think that the only way of dealing with this situation is to use a bug repellent, and they are not exactly pleasant either.
The good news is that there are more ways of dealing with a mosquito problem. You can use natural methods to turn your yard into a mosquito free zone.
Make sure that standing water is a thing of the past
Standing water is an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes. If you want to get rid of these pests from your yard, you need to make sure that standing water is eliminated as much as possible. Check areas where you may not think of, such as old containers behind outhouses. Empty any containers that are collecting water and store them away so that the problem cannot happen again.
Use Bti when necessary
Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. Israelensis (Bti) is a natural bacterium that is present in soil. It’s used as an insecticide and can be effective in ridding your yard of mosquitoes. Bti is used to attack mosquito larvae as they die when they ingest it. It’s a good choice for dealing with mosquitoes as it has been certified as being of minimal to zero risk to people and non-target organisms. If you cannot get rid of all standing water in your yard, using Bti makes sense. If you would rather not use Bti, instant coffee crystals can help if they are placed in the standing water.
Make use of garlic
You may have heard of the many health benefits you can get from garlic, but you may not have thought of using it to deal with an insect problem before. In fact, spreading dry granules of garlic around areas where mosquitoes are a problem can repel them for up to four weeks.
You can buy garlic granules from the local store. You may also want to invest in some garlic spray which many gardening stores sell. Using the spray can deter mosquitoes from hanging around for as long as two weeks. You do have to put up with the smell of garlic for a while, but that is a small price to pay for being nuisance free.
Make use of other natural products
It’s not just garlic that can be used to help get rid of mosquitoes; several other natural products are useful as well. You can buy spray that contains ingredients such as aloe vera, citronella and vanilla. You can also buy the oils themselves and add a couple of teaspoons of them to water, to make your own spray.
It’s time to take back your yard from the mosquitoes, without using harmful chemicals to do so. Using these natural methods can help turn your property into a mosquito no-go area.
Article Submitted By Community Writer