The green gardeners's first mosquito-reduction mission is to eliminate all unintentional reservoirs of standing water. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in stll water. Neglected birdbaths, crumpled plastic tarps, and rain-filled flowerpots ate common sources.
If you have a garden pond, try stocking it with mosquito fish (Gambusia affinis) which eat mosquito larvae; or float a thin film of mineral oil on the pond to suffocate the larvae (just be sure it won't do the same to your fish).
Once the adult mosquitoes are airborne, bats are a great natural control. One bat can catch hundreds of mosquitoes per hour. Adding a bat box to your yard can attract these flying aces.
Finally fill your yard with mosquito-repelling plants which include basil, eucalyptus, citrosa geraniums, lavender, mint rosemary, sage and thyme.
Answer taken from the Sierra Club, Earth Friendly Garden Knowledge Cards.
Question #3
True or False and WHY
Herbs are great in an organic garden, but some are best grown in containers.
Remember to make your comment below. Best of luck !
The Garden Goddess
http://www.down2earthgardens,com/
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3 comments:
Sorry I was late to the post! This is true as regards Mint, in my book. Mint is crazy invasive and loves to go its own way. (I tried to overlook this fact again this year and foolishly planted an apple mint on the edge of my potager... it's not content there, apparently and has transferred itself to the middle of the plot and tripled in size. Yikes! But I tell myself the bees love the blooms, so at least I'm getting some pollination out of my mistake.)
Meredith - Mint IS one of those that just seems to take over. But you are so right by looking atthe benefit it nrings when in bloom. Oregano is another that will naturalize and take over a garden bed.
But these are easy to maintian if you plant them in a bottomless, tall, plastic pot like you bring a plant home for the nuresy in. Keep the edge of the pot about the soil line. This will keep the roots contained and hel;p keep it from creeping. You just need to keep it from attaching itself to the ground by running your hand around the edge.
Doreen Pollack
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