How to put space between you and mosquitoes,
Geraniums and basil among common plants that can help
I consider myself one of the lucky ones. When hit by a mosquito, my skin does not react. My wife, on the other hand, is a member of the “mosquitoes love me” group. They particularly love her ankles. How about you?
I understand the general dislike but without mosquitoes, a lot of our natural infrastructure would fall apart. The common tree swallow and barn swallow, for instance, have been in decline largely due to fewer mosquitoes (and other flying insects). Ditto the brown bat. Insectivores everywhere are having trouble getting on and having babies with fewer of the bothersome of pests they depend on for food.
All of that said, you may wish to create some space between mosquitoes and your skin. I am here to assist. The following are plants with repellent properties:
Geranium: The common, gardenvariety geranium is not well-liked by mosquitoes. You have to activate the oils in geranium leaves by removing one and rubbing it vigorously on exposed skin. All geraniums have these useful properties, but the lemon-scented citrosa geranium, which is sometimes called the “mosquito geranium” could be the most effective of all.
Basil: This is one of the few common herbs that provide a pleasant, fresh scent without the oils in the leaves being activated. Place one in the middle of the table when you next have a garden party. Again, it is the lemon basil that works best. And cinnamon. Citronella Grass (Cymbopogon nardus): The active ingredient in the citronella candle stashed in your cupboard is derived from citronella grass — and you can grow it in a sunny spot in your garden or in containers on your patio. Grow it near your patio and other outdoor places where you entertain. But don’t cut it and rub it on your skin; it can irritate your skin and it causes an allergic reaction in some people. Lavender: This is an exceptional landscape plant. The new introductions that I have trialed in my garden in recent years bloom for a long time in the first half of the gardening season. Lavender seeds that follow the flowers provide their own special odour. I treat lavender as an annual but it can survive nicely in Zone 6 (Toronto). It loves the sun and a dry spot. Do not overwater. Ageratum: Such an innocentlooking little border annual plant actually detracts mosquitoes. Look for blue, red and white at garden retailers now. There is nothing easier to grow in a hot, dry spot and it blooms all summer. Who knew? Keep this off your skin, though: it has a tendency to cause a rash. Marigolds: The common French marigold has been a popular annual flowering plant since the Victorians discovered that you really can’t kill them. Planted around your vegetable garden, they deter a variety of common insect pests including aphids and white fly. They also deter mosquitoes. They are edible too. Some people use the flower petals to spruce up a green salad. (But then some people claim that brussels sprouts are edible, too. I have no idea what they are talking about. )
There are other tactics that you can employ in the garden that will help to minimize the mosquito population: Bats: Encourage bats to take up residence in your yard as they consume up to their body weight in insects each evening. Some use their patented sonar system to scoop up insects in their membranous wings; others snatch up bugs with their feet and mouths. I recommend that you place some bat houses in tall trees since a bat will reside no less than seven metres above the ground. Swallows: Chimney swifts, barn and tree swallows are closely related and they dip and swirl around me as I cut the lawn and walk through the meadow, picking up flying insects as they go. We need to encourage them at every opportunity. Attract swallows to your yard by putting out nesting boxes in the spring (they are nesting right now). Look for plans for “blue bird boxes” on my website, markcullen.com, and place them in an open part of your yard about two metres high, with the 11⁄ 2- inch hole facing south or east, out of the west wind. I have 27 nesting boxes and about 12 swallow families arrive each spring. Frogs and toads: They eat an amazing amount of insects including, but not exclusively, mosquitoes. Add a water feature to your garden and build an insect hotel. They will come, the insects and toads most certainly, and the frogs will arrive when you have installed a still-water pond. Green Strike: This is a unique innovation from a couple of Canadian university students. It is a waterbased machine that attracts mosquitoes and traps the eggs and larvae after consenting adults have paid a visit. It is environmentally friendly and safe to use. No mosquito electrocutions, no gases are let off, no chemicals are involved and no power is used in the process other than four small batteries that drive a fan.
According to the research material, one Green Strike unit effectively eliminates mosquitoes within a radius of 20 metres. Think about that and chances are you will only need one for your whole backyard. Available at Home Hardware this spring.
Green Strike is new this year and I am yet to field test it. But I like the idea and you can bet, if it works, my wife will make sure you hear about it. Mark Cullen is an expert gardener, author, broadcaster and garden editor of Reno & Decor magazine. Get his free monthly newsletter at markcullen.com. Watch him on CTV Canada AM every Wednesday at 8:45 a.m. Email him at groundskeeper@markcullen.com. Follow him on Twitter @MarkCullen4 and Facebook.