Thursday, April 11, 2013

10 ways How to Prevent Mosquitoes This Summer


How to Prevent Mosquitoes This Summer


Mosquitos they are not just annoying, But they are Dangerous
Mosquitoes Despite their small size kill  Millions of people Worldwide every year by spreading disease

But at the Same time Bombarding your body with Toxic Chemicals that Pollute the Environment only do more harm than good, so here is natural ways to repel them without chemicals


1.Eliminate standing water. Objects that can collect water provide for perfect breeding areas for mosquitoes. This includes plastic wrappers, tarps, tires, planter saucers, kids' toys and clogged gutters. Also, if you're a fan of birdbaths, change the water in them at least twice a week, and, of course, change the water in outdoor pet bowls regularly. For items such as recycling bins, drill drainage holes to prevent standing water.


2.Geranium, soybean and coconut oil – Found in a product called Bite Blocker

 this unique blend of oils repels mosquitoes for about an hour
I tried Bite Blocker last summer and never got bit once


3. For a natural approach, try spraying Lemon    on bushes, shrubs and vines 

Lemon eucalyptus oil – Together these natural essential oils combine to wallop the mosquitoes with a one-two punch. Providing natural protection from mosquitoes and other carnivorous bugs, lemon eucalyptus oil lasts longer than any other natural repellent (6 hours)



4.Citronella candles

– Made from the oil of citronella grass, this lemon-smelling oil wards off mosquitoes and other flying pests with its natural lemon smell. Although citronella oil can also be used directly on the skin, these candles work best in combination with another natural repellant method.

You can also Grow Citronella Plants around your home in Pots
Break off  few stems and branches and get the oils in the air

5.  Marigolds also repel Mosquitoes  candles and soaps Marigold scented helps repel them away


6.  Burn  herbs.

(Not that herb.) The next time you barbeque, throw some Sage , Rosemary, Horsemint, Lemongrass, Ageratum  Beebalm, Catnip,Marigolds, Basil, Lavender  ,Lemon Scented Geranium: on the coals to repel mosquitoes.

7. Eat more garlic.

When you eat garlic, especially large quantities of it, an invisible layer of garlic oil seeps from your pores and creates a mosquito barrier. If you don’t like the thought of eating more garlic, you can also use garlic juice to make a natural repellant.

Mix one part garlic juice with 5 parts water in a small spray bottle. Shake well before using. Spray lightly on exposed body parts for an effective repellent lasting up to 5 to 6 hours.’ And if you don’t like the idea of reeking of garlic, you can dip strips of cotton cloth into the malodorous mixture which you can then hang in strategic areas such as patios, decks and such as a local deterrent.

8.  Attract bats.

It is said that one small brown bat can catch 600 mosquitoes per hour. In an effort to attract these opportunistic insect eaters, you might want to consider building or buying a bat house. And if you’re worried about contracting rabies from the bats you attract, consider the Niagara Frontier Wildlife Habitat Council’s statistic that the less than half of one percent of all bats that contract rabies, which all mammals can do, ‘they normally bite only in self-defense and pose little threat to people who do not handle them.’ For a free bat house pattern, go to Bat Conservation International. http://www.batcon.org/pdfs/SingleChamberBHPlans.pdf

9.Homemade Mosquito Repellent !!






Ingredients :
15 drops lavender oil
3-4 Tbsp of vanilla extract
10 drops of citronella oil
1/4 Cup lemon juice.
(You can also use 10 drops of lemon eucalyptus oil instead of citronella oil)
Instructions :
Combine in a 16 oz bottle
Mix all of the above ingredients in a spray bottle and fill the rest up with water (or a mix of water and vodka, or a mix of water and witch hazel).
Spray on yourself!!


Homemade Insect Repellent Recipe 2
10-25 drops essential oil. Try lavender, rose geranium (for ticks), coriander seeds, peppermint, cajeput and citronella
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon aloe vera gel (optional)

Combine the ingredients in a glass jar; stir to blend. Dab a few drops on your skin or clothing.
or spray on body in a spray bottle

Homemade Insect Repellent Recipe 3
25 drops essential oil (see above)
1/4 cup water or organic apple cider vinegar

Combine the ingredients in a glass jar. Shake to blend. Dab some on your skin or clothing.
or spray on body in a spray bottle





10. Grow these herbs in your Garden 

Ageratum or Floss Flower: Ageratum houstonianum. Type: Annual. Height: 6-12”. Spacing: 6-8” apart. Light Requirement: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Butterfly nectar plant.

Basil: Ocimum basilicum. Type: Annual. Height: 2 feet. Spacing: 18-24” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Butterfly nectar plant, the leaves are used in cooking.

Cadaga Tree: Eucalyptus torelliana. Type: Tree. Height: To 80 feet. Spacing: 20-30 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun. Additional Uses: Attracts wildlife to the garden.

Catmint: Nepeta faassenii. Type: Perennial. Height: 2-3 feet. Spacing: 12-18 “ apart. Additional Uses: Butterfly nectar plant, and your cats will love it. The picture on the right is Catmint.

Catnip: Nepeta cataria. Type: Perennial. Height: 2-3 feet. Spacing: 12-18 “ apart. Additional Uses: Butterfly nectar plant, and your cats will love it.

Citronella Grass: Cymbopogon nardus. Type: Perennial in USDA Zones 9 and 10, annual outside zone 9. Height: 5-6 feet. Spacing: 3-5 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: The oil from the plant is used in citronella candles. The picture on the left is Catnip.

Clove Tree: Syzygium aromaticum. Type: Tree. Height: 20-30 feet. Spacing: 25 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: The flower buds are the spice of commerce, and attracts wildlife to the garden.

Horsemint or Lemon Beebalm: Monarda citriodora. Type: Perennial. Height: 12-30”. Spacing: 12-24” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: The flowers can be used in fresh cut arrangements, nectar plant for butterflies and hummingbirds.

Lavender: Lavandula angustifolia. Type: Perennial. Height: 18-24”. Spacing: 12-18” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Nectar plant for butterflies, flowers can be dried, in potpourris, and sachets.

Lemon Balm: Melissa officinalis. Type: Perennial. Height: 2-3 feet. Spacing: 12-18” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: All leaves can be used in potpourris, flavor hot and iced teas, and used as a substitute for lemon peel in cooking.

Lemon Grass: Cymbopogon citrates. Type: Perennial to USDA zone 8, treat as an annual elsewhere. Height: 2-3 feet. Spacing: 3-5 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: The leaves are used in cooking.

Lemon Scented Geranium: Pelargonium crispum. Type: Perennial. Height: 2-3 feet. Spacing: 12” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Nectar plant for butterflies, leaves are used in cooking, in potpourris, and sachets. The picture on the right is Clove Tree.

Lemon Verbena: Aloysia triphylla. Type: Perennial to USDA zone 8, treat as an annual elsewhere. Height: To 4 feet. Spacing: 18-24” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: The oil is used in perfumes; the leaves are used in flavoring teas and jellies.

Marigold : Tagetes
No annual is more cheerful or easier to grow than marigolds. These flowers are the spendthrifts among annuals, showing a wealth of gold, copper, and brass into our summer and autumn gardens. The flower’s popularity probably derives in part from its ability to bloom brightly all summer long.

Marigolds have daisy-like or double, carnation-like flowerheads and are produced singly or in clusters.  Although there are some 50 species, some marigolds we know come from just three:

Tagetes erecta are the tallest, at three to five feet. They are sometimes known as African, or American, marigolds.
Bushy T. patula, or French marigolds, are somewhat smaller and more compact. Elegant and eye-catching, they have relatively demure flowers and usually grow from 6 inches to 2 feet tall.
The dainty T. tenuifolia are the signet, or rock-garden, marigolds that like hot, dry sites and make a wonderful edging. Their flowers are edible.
Marigolds have been sterotyped but they offer tremendous variety; some have fantastic aroma; all marigolds are good in containers and provide long-lasting cut flowers



Mexican Marigold Mint: Tagetes lucida. Type: Perennial. Height: 24-30”. Spacing: 12-18” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Butterfly nectar and larval food plant, fresh flowers are used in salads, leaves are used as a substitute for French tarragon.

Mindanao Gum Tree: Eucalyptus deglupta. Type: Tree. Height: To 225 feet. Spacing: 30 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Attracts wildlife to the garden.

Pennyroyal: Mentha pulegium. Type: Perennial. Height: 6-12”. Spacing: 12” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: A groundcover, nectar plant for butterflies, the leaves are used in the flavoring for fish dishes.

Peppermint: Mentha piperita. Type: Perennial. Height: 24-36”. Spacing: 12-18” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Leaves are used fresh in hot and iced teas, butterfly nectar and larval food plant.

Pitcher Plant: Nepenthes alata. Type: Herbaceous perennial. Height: To 14 feet, usually grown in a hanging basket. Spacing: N/A. Light Requirements: Partial shade to shade. Additional Uses: Will attract and capture all types of pesky insects from your garden. The plant is available at local garden centers in hanging baskets and can be placed in tree limbs or placed on patio plant stands. The plant uses the insects it captures as fertilizer. The picture on the left is Mindanao Gum, and the picture on the right is Mexican Marigold Mint.

Prostrate Rosemary: Rosmarinus officinalis 'Prostrates'. Type: Perennial shrub or groundcover. Height: 12-18”. Spacing: 2 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: The leaves are used in lamb and fish dishes, butterfly nectar plant, drought tolerant plant.

Red-Flowering Gum Tree: Eucalyptus ficifolia. Type: Tree. Height: 25-30 feet. Spacing: 20-25 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun. Additional Uses: After establishment in the landscape the tree is very drought tolerant, the leaves are fragrant, attracts wildlife to the garden, very showy red flowers in spring and summer.

Roman Wormwood: Artemisia pontica. Type: Perennial. Height: 18-24”. Spacing: 12” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun. Additional Uses: Nectar and larval food plant for butterflies, drought tolerant plant.

Rosemary: Rosmarinus officinalis. Type: Perennial shrub. Height: 4 feet. Spacing: 3-5 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: The leaves are used in lamb and fish dishes, drought tolerant plant, and butterfly nectar plant.

Silver Dollar Tree: Eucalyptus cinerea. Type: Tree. Height: To 20 feet. Spacing: 25 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun. Additional Uses: Attracts wildlife to the garden, the foliage is used in fresh cut flower arrangements as greens, and dried floral arrangements.

Tansy: Tanacetum vulgare. Type: Perennial. Height: 3-4 feet. Spacing: 12-18” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Nectar food plant for butterflies. The picture on the left is Prostrate Rosemary, and the picture on the right is Pitcher Plant.

Wormwood: Artemisia absinthium. Type: Perennial. Height: 2-3 feet. Spacing: 18-24” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Nectar and larval food plant for butterflies, drought tolerant plant.

Wormwood: Artemisia 'Powis Castle'. Type: Perennial. Height: 2-3 feet. Spacing: 3 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Nectar and larval food plant for butterflies, drought tolerant plant.

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