General Ideas

1) No standing water - Sounds simple right, not necessarily so.

Any amount of standing water will allow mosquitos to hatch eggs and grow more mosquitos. Flower pots, buckets, wheel barrels, tires (even the swing), clogged drain spouts, cups, garbage cans, and many more everyday items can hold enough water to start a big problem. Empty all containers that may hold water after it rains, keep in mind too that turning them over may not prevent a small puddle from forming on top of the object and allow mosquitos to breed.

2) What about my pond? - It is circulating water so I should have no problems right?

Possibly but not likely. Many times there are corners or parts of a pond even small ones that do not get a high rate of flow. In these cases mosquitos could still breed in these areas. It is recomended that fish and small frogs be used in ponds, there are many types that just love to eat mosquitos and their eggs. They will also bring an added attractiveness to your water feature.

3) Are there other ways to naturally control mosquitos?

Yes, of course they are all dependent on how far you want to go to rid yourself of these little vampires. Setting up bird houses and feeders can help to reduce the population of mosquitos in your yard. They love to snack on these little creatures!
Planting garlic around water features is also a good idea or you could just use garlic spray around the area you would like to use. Marigolds are another plant that mosquitos like to avoid, they also produce pretty flowers for the area you are using. Catnip, rosemary and citronella grass are also disliked by the blood sucking pest that plague us during the summer time.

There are many concerns these days, particularly in the southern regions of the United States about West Nile and other illnesses that are carried and transmitted by mosquitos. There are many solutions out there but none are as safe and easy as the ones mentioned above. The above remidies are not only easy and safe, but several will actually make your outdoor living space more attractive and natural looking then some of the retail solutions. The above suggestions are also kid safe and pet friendly, especially to cats; they will have more birds to chase and plenty of catnip to munch on if those are the solutions you choose.

There is nothing like cooking with fresh garlic from your yard whenever you like and while your at it you might as well grow several other types of herbs in the same area to compliment your cooking. By using safe and natural ways to rid your yard and garden of pests, you will have fresh, clean and uncontaminated suppliments to use in your cooking through the season. At the same time you will be providing a healthy and safe yard for yourself, your children, and your guest.

Although all these ideas are helpful, the best most effective way to avoid a mosquito problem is to make sure you have no standing water hanging around anywhere in the yard. If you do find some empty it right away and make sure to fix the problem. Bring unused pots and planters under some type of cover so they will not retain rain water. Empty old stagnant ponds and turn them upside down (if plastic) until you get to setting them back up. If your pond is a liner type then either drain it completely or get it working. Summer is here and with a little care your yard can be both beautiful and mosquito free.