There are many pests that can infest your garden — aphids, caterpillars, whiteflies etc. They can eat and kill plants and vegetables. But not all garden pests are only destructive to plants and vegetables. Some of them are dangerous to humans too, such as mosquitoes. Here are some ways to get rid of mosquitoes in your garden.
How do you get rid of mosquitoes in your Garden?
1. Installing proper drainage will help get rid of mosquitoes
You have mosquitoes in your garden because it’s the perfect breeding ground for these bloodsuckers. They thrive in moist environments, and that’s why you often see them in rainforests and swamps. A moist garden is basically a small rainforest, so mosquitoes will be able to thrive there.
One way to eliminate excess moisture in your garden is the installation of proper drainage. When you water your plants, make sure there is a way for the water to go to a drain properly. Think of catch basins and drainage pipes.
2. Don’t overwater your plants
There will always be moisture in your garden. After all, you are going to water your plants regularly. But there is such a thing as overwatering your plants. Having too much water in your garden will attract not just mosquitoes but also other garden pests that thrive in moisture like millipedes.
Other bad gardening practices can also attract other garden pests. For instance, excessive nitrogen in your plants can damage them and end up attracting insects. You can prevent attracting many different garden pests if you practice proper gardening.
3. Keeping gutters clean is a great way to get rid of mosquitoes in your garden
Gutters are not necessarily a part of your garden, but they are in the vicinity. Get rid of mosquitoes in your garden by getting rid of potential breeding grounds nearby, such as gutters full of debris. Your gutters can accumulate fallen leaves, small rocks, and other debris. These materials can prevent proper drainage. Water can stagnate, and we all know stagnant water is the main breeding ground for mosquitoes.
Clean your gutters regularly. This will not just help prevent mosquitoes from thriving. It will also help prevent drainage problems and bad smells outside your home.
4. Move pots and vases indoors
Some of the most commonly overlooked sources of stagnant water are pots and vases. Your garden may have a lot of potted plants and vases with flowers. Unfortunately, the stagnant water in them can attract and house mosquitoes. Move them indoors if you want to prevent them from providing breeding grounds and shelters for mosquitoes.
But some people may want to keep pots and vases outside. After all, they are part of their garden’s aesthetics. And the containers make plants and flowers easy to move around. If you don’t want to move pots and vases indoors, at least change their water regularly.
5. Get rid of mosquitoes by replacing stagnant water regularly
Not all stagnant water sources in your garden are inherently bad. Bird baths, fountains, and garden ponds come to mind. You may even have a swimming pool near your garden. These water sources could have systems that can make their water run, especially fountains. But many times, they don’t have a way to keep their water running. You may have to replace their water manually.
Replace their water regularly. If you don’t, you are attracting insects that breed and nest near stagnant water, including mosquitoes.
6. Throw away debris
It’s not just water. Debris can also attract mosquitoes. After all, mosquitoes are vulnerable to the heat of the sun. They will need to hide somewhere to protect themselves from the elements. And they will need a resting spot during the day where they are generally less active.
Plants and flowers can offer these protections. But of course, you can’t get rid of them. However, you can trim garden grass to prevent them from housing mosquitoes. Throw away debris too, such as leaf litter, planks, random rocks, and twigs. These can house other pests too, like slugs. Fun fact — slugs thrive in moisture too, just like mosquitoes.
7. Use natural pesticides
You can use pesticides, but make sure you are buying one that specifically says it kills mosquitoes. And then follow the instructions diligently. We recommend finding products that are natural, organic, environmentally and pet-friendly. After all, you are going to spray it in your garden, an area teeming with life.
You don’t want to damage your plants. Some pesticides also kill off too many insects, which can be bad for your garden too. Some insects in your garden are beneficial. And if you kill them off, you are actually making your garden more vulnerable to pests like mosquitoes.
8. Introduce mosquito-repelling plants
Some plants naturally repel mosquitoes. Introduce them to your garden. Ideally, put them at the edges of your garden, so they act like a natural barrier against mosquitoes. These plants are citronella, eucalyptus, lavender, and peppermint. It’s also nice that most of these are fragrant, giving a pleasant impression to your garden.
However, take note that these plants are not completely effective in repelling mosquitoes. They are nice to have. But they won’t fully solve your mosquito problem.
9. Try mosquito traps
Please don’t use bug zappers. They are not effective in getting rid of mosquitoes. They also tend to kill other insects in your garden, including the beneficial ones. You can try less aggressive DIY traps. We’ve made an article about those. You can read it here.
10. Repel mosquitoes with essential oils
If mosquito-repelling plants don’t do the trick and you are not interested in traps, you can try another natural method — the use of essential oil sprays. The idea is simple. You dilute an essential oil that naturally repels mosquitoes in water. And then put the resulting solution in a spray bottle, so you can spray the solution easily around your garden.
You can try the essential oils of catnip, citronella, lavender, lemon eucalyptus, peppermint, or tea tree. But like other natural remedies, take note that essential oils may not completely get rid of mosquitoes in your garden. And using too much of them directly on plants can irritate and kill your greens. Proceed with these caveats in mind.