It’s a great time of year to spend enjoying your horticultural efforts of the last few seasons.
Maybe your tomatoes are ripening on the vine, or those frangipanis by the pool are finally in flower.
It’s the time of year for barbecues, playing outside with the kids, or late nights playing music in the courtyard with friends.
Unfortunately, enjoying the garden can also mean exposing yourself to those pesky parasites, mosquitoes.
They are particularly bad in the morning and at sun-down, and become more active in calm or humid weather.
Though it is important to take precautions such as spray repellent and appropriate clothing when mosquitos are bad, there are some natural ways of deterring these itchy insects from invading your yard.
One of the most important things to ensure is that you have no still bodies of water sitting around.
Many people like to keep bird baths or dishes of water for native animals, which is fine, but you need to make sure that you flush them out daily to stop your well-intended oasis from becoming a mosquito maternity ward.
Even plants that can hold stagnant water, like ferns and bromeliads, can become hotbeds of mosquito larvae and may need regular flushing.
There are also a number of plants known anecdotally to repel insects, especially mosquitoes, so it may be an option to grow some of these in pots and place them around areas like outdoor table settings, benches and other areas you’re likely to sit and get bit.
The main plant to look out for is the lemon-scented geranium, which is often marketed as a mosquito repellent.
Lemon balm and lemon thyme are also thought to repel mosquitoes, along with catnip, lavender, basil, lantana, marigolds, and – no surprises here – the citronella plant.
Don’t forget that predators are great at controlling pests in the garden, so don’t be too quick to swipe away those spiderwebs: they might be helping to keep your mosquitoes in check.-
Another option to look into is carnivorous plants.
Although exotic varieties like venus flytraps are enticing, their track-record for longevity is not the best.
I’d suggest looking into native drosera or pitcher plants, but only for experienced gardeners looking to try out something new.
Do you have a gardening question for Jess? Send your queries to jess.cockerill@fairfaxmedia.com.au