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Evaluate drainage patterns in your landscape. Improve
drainage by amending the soil in garden beds with organic matter.
Consider adding a rain garden to capture water run-off from the roof
and hard surfaces, putting it to work in a garden filled with
beautiful flowers for you and pollinators to enjoy. Water collected
in these gardens drains within 24 to 36 hours and doesn’t provide a
breeding ground for mosquitoes.
Drain water from toys, buckets or any object that can hold water and
serve as a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Clear debris from gutters
so the water flows freely through the gutter and out the downspout.
Change the water in birdbaths at least once a week. Make it part of
your routine whenever you water container gardens. Or you can
install a small pump to keep the water moving, which prevents
mosquito breeding.
Toss a Mosquito Dunk in birdbaths, rain barrels and water features.
This certified organic insecticide only kills the larvae of
mosquitoes, black flies, and fungus gnats. It won’t harm bees,
butterflies, birds, pets and people.
Help reduce the tick population in your landscape by keeping the
grass mowed and removing brush, groundcovers, firewood piles, and
bird feeders near your home or where your family frequents. Consider
creating a tick-safe area where your family frequents, and limit
time spent in tick-infested areas. Widen pathways, properly prune
trees to increase light, exclude deer, and discourage rodents to
reduce the risk of exposure. Place children’s swing sets away from
the woods and cover the soil with woodchip mulch. Eliminate invasive
barberry, honeysuckle, and buckthorn that create a tick-friendly
habitat.
Wear light-colored clothing to more easily spot ticks before they
move onto your skin. Loose fitting, light-colored clothing is also
less attractive to mosquitoes. Wear long pants and tuck them into
socks and tuck your shirt into your pants. Ticks often gain access
through pant legs or shirttails and crawl up, looking for a place to
settle in and feed.
Consider spraying your clothing with an insecticide
labeled for repelling and killing ticks and mosquitoes. Select an
insecticide spray like Summit® Green Armor Insect Repellent labeled
for use on clothing. Read and follow label directions and let your
clothing dry before wearing it.
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Remove and check your clothing for ticks anytime you
have been outdoors. Showering within two hours of spending time
outdoors can greatly reduce your risk of Lyme and possibly other
tick-borne diseases. Always conduct a tick check, paying special
attention to your underarms, belly button, in and around your ears,
hair, behind your knees, and around your waist.
Keep mosquitoes away when hosting a party, gardening, or relaxing
outdoors. Use a fan to create a gentle breeze that keeps weak-flying
mosquitoes away from you and your guests. Some gardeners even take a
small fan into the garden while weeding.
Citronella oil and scented candles have some
mosquito-repelling properties. Scatter the candles in outdoor spaces
within a few feet where family and friends gather for some
short-term relief.
A combination of these strategies will help minimize your exposure
to these biting insects so you can better enjoy the outdoors this
summer.
Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books,
including the Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small
Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything”
instant video and DVD series and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s
Garden Moment TV & radio program. Myers is a columnist and
contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned
by Summit for her expertise to write this article. Myers’ website is www.MelindaMyers.com.
[Photo courtesy of MelindaMyers.com]
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