I love to work in the garden and be outside, but most annoying are the myriad of bugs that love to fly around your face or attack your very being. Here are some tips to keep them away. Then feel free to enjoy have a garden party, a barbeque, take a leisurely stroll or curl up with a good book and a cup of tea.
1. Plant an herb garden. Basil, peppermint, oregano or scented geraniums (especially citronella scent) will help keep bugs at bay and provide a pleasant experience both visually and "scentsibly" Both lavender and any kind of geranium, marigold and chrysanthemums work well. Geranims are said to protect better than DEET and chrysanthemums are an ingredient in a well known bug repellent. Try crushing geranium leaves and rubbing the oil on your skin. Catnip or any member of the mint family planted around your yard is reported to be 10 times more effective than DEET.
2. Ladybugs to the rescue. Lots of bugs help with other pests. Green lacewings protect against whitefly and spidermite, and ladybugs eat aphids. Plant gardens to encourage good bugs. Queen Anne's lace, Shasta daisies, cosmos, black eyed susan, white alyssum.
3.Install a bat house near your outdoor living spaces. Bats dine on mosquitoes in the evening and are a beauty to behold in flight.
4.Erect bird feeders in your yard to attract wild birds, which feast on mosquitoes. Stock the water garden or pond with goldfish or other mosquito larvae eating fish.
Wrens, warblers, hummingbirds will love the yummy bugs. Put up a hummingbird feeder or plant flowers with lots of nectar or bright colors to attract them.
5. We all know about citronella candles but evidentally, any candle will do. Mosquitos hate the heat and carbon dioxide so shy away.
6. Try an oscillating fan.
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