It's that time of year again. The time of year when the mosquitos are out. Mosquitos have been around for millions of years and continue to be a nuisance to many gardeners and outdoor enthusiasts in the Prince George area. Although mosquitoes cannot be eliminated, they certainly can be controlled, by doing a few things around the yard. The first thing to do, is to get rid of of their habitat. Mosquitos breed in stagnant water, so you want to get rid of any standing water. Pick up and dump any vessels that collect water such as cans, pails, wading pools, plant trays, etc. Clean out the gutters and downspouts, to prevent water from collecting. Fill in any low spots in the lawn or landscape where water pools. Empty and refill dog bowls, bird baths, fountains, etc., every few days, as it only takes 8-10 days for mosquito eggs to turn into an adult mosquito. During the day adult mosquitoes tend to hide in the shaded area of trees, shrubs and plants. Keeping the lawn mowed, weeds down, and trees/shrubs maintained will help keep mosquitoes away.

It is not always possible to eliminate a mosquitos habitat because of ponds, lagoons, etc., but there are products available that will help prevent mosquitos from coming into your yard. There is a product that we are carrying at the garden centre called 'Mosquito Barrier', which is made from the juice of a very potent garlic. Garlic has a natural sulphur which repels mosquitos. The 'Mosquito Barrier' is a liquid that is mixed with water (following the manufacturers instructions) and then applied with a sprayer to the surfaces of grass, plants, and foliage. For best results, do not spray 24-48 before a rainfall or just after a rainfall. Spray the outer perimeter of the yard which will stop the mosquitos from entering your yard. The garlic smell will not be noticeable to humans after a few minutes but it can be noticed by mosquitos for up to a month depending on conditions. A mosquitos sense of smell is 10,000 more stronger then a humans and as long as the mosquito can detect it, it will stay away. The Mosquito barrier is toxic to mosquitos but not harmful to pets, plants, or humans. It can also be mixed with vegetable oil and then sprayed on the water surface of ponds to form a thin film which will suffocate the larvae, by preventing oxygen from reaching the larvae.

There are other ways of stopping mosquitoes from bothering people. Mosquitoes tend to be most active between dusk and dawn or on cloudy days, and are not active in sunshine, so if you are outdoors during the day you should not be bothered as much. It is the carbon dioxide that we exhale that excites mosquitoes, and there are products available that mask a humans odours. There are also plants that repel mosquitos such as marigolds, rosemary, lemon balm, catnip, and citronella.

– Jos

Jos Van Hage owns and operates two Art Knapp Home and Garden Centres in Prince George:

• Highway 16 West at Kimball Road
• Highway 97 North at Northwood Pulpmill Road