How to manage mosquitos in the garden organically

 How to manage mosquitos in the garden organically 

The typical garden has many opportunities for mosquitos to breed and hatch including bird baths, fountains, ponds, flowerpots and saucers under potted plants, watering cans, buckets and pet bowls, tall grass and overgrown vegetation, to name a few. Mosquitos can reproduce in stagnant water as shallow as one inch.  

Make it a practice to walk around the garden and look for areas or things that are holding water and empty everything that has water present. Eliminating standing water is an effective way to prevent mosquitos entering the garden area in the first place. This includes regular lawn maintenance such as mowing and trimming. Well maintained lawns discourage adult mosquitos from nesting.   

 

Incorporate Mosquito Dunks® or Mosquito Bits® into bird baths, water features, potted plants or anywhere in the garden that has static water. Made of Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis, these products are natural, and safe and will kill mosquito larvae quickly. Mosquito Dunks® will last up to 30 days (about 4 and a half weeks). Mosquito Bits® remain effective up to 14 days (about 2 weeks).  

 

Look for products that contain plant essential oils, such as Rosemary, Peppermint, Clove and Thyme.  These will control mosquitos in the lawn and around the patio.  

Planting flowers like marigolds and citronella geraniums, along with herbs like basil, lemon thyme, rosemary, mint and lemongrass near the patio or deck can also keep mosquitos away.  

By eliminating breeding spots, utilizing organic controls and plantings, mosquito control can be achieved naturally.   
 

Planting for Pollinators

 June 19 through the 25, 2023 is National Pollinator Week, a time to bring focus on the gardening activities that support pollinators. It’s important to realize that in addition to honeybees, bumblebees, native bees, butterflies, moths, flies and more also fill a role as pollinators in our landscapes and gardens. To attract the greatest diversity of pollinators, we need to supply a source of food and water and, in the case of native bees, shelter.  

Food for the pollinator community means nectar and pollen. The ideal plants and shrubs will produce flowers with high nectar and pollen content. Flowers with good sources of nectar and pollen include Asters, Black-eyed Susan, Columbine, Coneflower, Digitalis, Gaillardia, Joe-pie Weed, Mums, Penstemon, Sage and Sedum.  Pollinator-friendly shrubs in your garden should include Blue Mist Spirea, Lilac and Butterfly Bushes.  

Beyond perennials and shrubs, think about incorporating annuals, bulbs and herbs into your pollinator garden. Zinnias are bee magnets. Plant a nice bed of zinnias and the bees will come. Chives are another plant which bees love.  

Because of their ability to dislodge pollen by grasping a flower in their jaws and vibrating their wing muscles, bumble bees are important pollinators of crops such as tomatoes and peppers. 

Plant the herb comfrey near your tomato and pepper plants to improve fruit set.  

The herbs borage, mint and lavender will attract pollinators to your garden, as well. Blooming cover crops such as Crimson Clover will attract bees and can be worked into your garden to improve the soil once it stops flowering.  

To better attract pollinators, plant in clusters, with a variety of colors. This will bring a focus to your garden and landscape and save the pollinator’s energy searching for food.  

Gardening with pollinators in mind should include a source of water. A shallow pot saucer filled with pebbles will do fine. Keep the water refreshed so the pollinators know they can return to the same spot every day.  Garden fountains and birdbaths will provide needed water. Place some flat stones in the birdbath so pollinators will have a place to land and drink safely.  

 

For non-hive dwelling native bees, consider leaving a patch of the garden uncultivated for native bees that burrow. For wood and stem-nesting bees, place a nesting block near the garden.  

 

With some thought and planning, you can create a destination garden for bees and other pollinators. 

 

June is National Rose Month.

Roses are among the most classic garden plants, filling the landscape with their stunning color and unique fragrance. Available in a variety of colors, fragrances and repeat flowering or single blooms, there is a rose variety for every garden. Growing roses in Colorado can be a rewarding experience if provided with the right culture. Start with the basics. Roses need a minimum of six hours of full sun to grow and bloom properly. Roses need a bed of their own, away from trees, shrubs and perennials that compete for sunlight, space and nutrients. Roses need space. They don’t do well when crowded together.   

There is a long history of roses growing in Colorado. In 1874 Charlotte Hill discovered a fossilized rose leaf preserved in the Upper Eocene Florissant Formation some 34 million years ago. Now in the Smithsonian, the fossil rose Rosa hilliae is named for her. In addition, native rose species, including mountain rose, Rosa woodsii, prickly rose, Rosa acicularis, and prairie rose, Rosa arkansana can be viewed from the plains to elevation.   

Wild roses or “species roses” typically have a single, predominately pink flower. Old Garden Roses or heirloom roses were cultivated prior to 1867. They have a strong fragrance but only bloom once a year.  

 

Cultivated after 1867, Modern Garden Roses are those most familiar to gardeners. The year 1867 is an important one in rose history, since it marks the debut of the hybrid tea rose. Tall and elegant, hybrid tea roses are by far the most popular rose grown.

Available in a wide range of colors, hybrid teas produce individual long-stemmed blooms and flowers repeatedly during the season.   

 

You can even find hybrid tea roses named for celebrities, suchas Judy Garland, shown here.

In addition to hybrid teas, modern garden rose varieties include climbers, David Austin, shrub roses, miniature roses, grandifloras and floribundas.

When it comes to growing roses successfully in Colorado, choose a location that receives at least six hours of direct sun every day, away from trees, shrubs and perennials that compete for sunlight, space and nutrients. Provide adequate space between rose bushes. They don’t do well when crowded together. Prepare the planting site by adding locally produced organic materials. Roses need well-amended soils to establish strong root systems and achieve vigorous growth and bloom potential. 

Planted now, roses will establish through the season and provide unique color to your garden for many seasons to come.