Landscaping Tips to Repel Mosquitos

As a homeowner, you understand the value of pristine landscaping. Sophisticated landscaping accents a home's aesthetics, adds function, and influences its value. In other words, proper landscaping serves homeowners in a variety of essential ways. But did you know, modern landscaping can help reduce the number of mosquitoes that hang out in your lawn? When you're lawn contains fewer mosquitoes, this means fewer mosquitoes on your deck and in your home. There are ways homeowners can leverage landscaping to repel mosquitoes. Making your property less hospitable to mosquitoes is easier than you think; although, a few handy tools may be needed to help.

I don't need to sell you on why you don't want mosquitoes hanging out on your lawn. Mosquitoes not only annoy us, but science links them to the spread of several illnesses. A rash of EEE Virus cases in the Northeast has many homeowners scrambling for solutions in landscaping. As a homeowner, repelling mosquitoes from the lawn is the best start to lowering the risk of bites. Let's look at a few ways to win the battle against mosquitoes lurking in our lawns.

Without question, standing water attracts mosquitoes more than any other landscaping miscue. Mosquitoes lay eggs in standing waters. So not only do those puddles and old sandboxes filled with rainwater attract mosquitoes, but they encourage mosquito babies. For a homeowner, that's the worst-case scenario.

When you combine attracting new mosquitoes with mosquito breeding grounds, that new deck will be infiltrated by pest all summer long. You need to remove as many cases of standing water as possible. Look for old buckets, sandboxes, portions of your lawn that are sunken in, children's toys, areas where water compiles, etc. Before you make a landscaping move, audit your property for still water. When you do formulate a new landscaping plan, make sure you consider any ideas that might allow water to compile. Avoid landscaping tactics that amount to slopes with no run-off strategy. Avoid sculptures that allow water to fill up. Removing and avoiding standing water on your property is the number one landscaping mosquito repellent you'll find.

When it comes to mulch repelling annoying insects, cedar mulch wins the day. Cedar mulch, while a tad bit more costly than other mulch types, gives off a smell that mosquitoes despise. For this reason, a homeowner should strategically place cedar mulch in areas of their property that people hang out. When it comes to landscaping, make use of cedar mulch as much as possible. Since cedar mulch cost a bit more than other mulch, it's essential to choose wisely where to place it in your landscaping. If you use cedar mulch correctly, your summer party guests will thank you. Here are several recommended cedar mulches to consider.

Whether you are doing your landscaping yourself or using a service, consider adding plants and grasses that repel mosquitoes. Lemongrass is technically known by the name Cymbopogon. Many bug sprays that repel mosquitoes leverage it. Lemongrass looks like tall, vibrant blades of grass. They can serve to stroke a home's flower beds. But more importantly, mosquitoes despise lemongrass scent. Both marigolds and geraniums infuse potent colors to a property's landscaping. But they also serve to repel mosquitoes and other annoying, summertime pests. If you don't want to plant geraniums or use cedar mulch or plant lemongrass, you might consider Bonide's Mosquito Beater, which contains the oils of all three.

If your family isn't opposed to more aggressive mosquito repellent undertakings, consider using a popular insecticide. You find both natural and otherwise in any of our stores around the nation.

Landscaping influences mosquito density on your property. By taking simple precautions and deploying strategic landscaping methods, you can vastly reduce the number of mosquitoes that infest your outdoor areas.