Getting rid of mosquitoes doesn’t have to involve deadly chemicals or the latest expensive gimmick. Effective control is a combination of vigilance, personal repellent and using the right products to target specific areas.
Garlic barrier, commonly sold as Mosquito Barrier, has been used for years in agriculture to repel insects from crops and even keep birds from eating tree fruits. It works by overwhelming the mosquito’s sensory system which is 10,000 times more finely tuned than ours. Once the product is dry, you can’t smell it, but they sure can – and they can’t stand it! As it is not a contact pesticide like other backyard sprays, it is safe for beneficial insects like bees and butterflies.
Easy to apply
Sold as a liquid concentrate, garlic barrier is 95-99% garlic with a natural sulfer compound that repels mosquitoes and other pests. There are three easy steps to mix and apply.
- Dilute the concentrate with water according to the label in a clean pump sprayer that has not held herbicides or “weed and feed.”
- Pressurize the container by pumping and apply to shrubs, trees, fences and other structures around the perimeter of your yard. Spray as high as you can reach and avoid coating flowers.
- Reapply after it rains or after 30 days, whichever comes first.
This can be a great tool to use ahead of a pool party, family barbeque, or to simply enjoy your yard free from pesky bloodsuckers.
As this is a barrier at the edge of your yard, make sure you don’t have any sneaky water sources within the perimeter that are breeding mosquitoes. Keep in mind, many common culprits are out of of sight. Do you have any of the following?
- French drains
- Gutters with leaf debris
- A water meter box that gets flooded by rain or irrigation
- Plant saucers
- Toys, tarps or bags of potting soil that collect water
Address these first so you aren’t trapping mosquitoes within your property.
For other easy ways to mosquito-proof your patio – check out this two-part series.
For more information on keeping mosquitoes out of your backyard, check out thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/mosquitoinfo. To report a mosquito problem, contact the Environmental Services Department at enviro@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov or 281-210-3800.
good practical info.
I thought it was interesting when you mentioned using the right products is key to prevent mosquitoes from causing problems. Would it be a good idea to have your yard sprayed with some kind of pesticide in order to prevent mosquito breeding at the beginning of spring? As far as I know, mosquitoes can cause quite a few illnesses, so I wouldn’t want to have them in my yard.
Thank you for your comment. You are right that mosquitoes can transmit diseases, so it is important to reduce their numbers whenever possible. Unfortunately there is no spray that can prevent mosquitoes from breeding, which is why we encourage homeowners to focus on removing anything that can hold water for more than 5 days such as plant saucers, kids toys, tarps, wheel barrows, etc. and cleaning out clogged gutters. One product we do recommend for the ongoing control of mosquitoes where they breed – in the water – is non-toxic Mosquito Dunks. Items such as French drains, bird baths, and rain barrels should be treated with a Dunk that will last about 30 days. They are safe for birds, pets, and aquatic life but kill juvenile mosquitoes before they become flying, biting, adults. This is one of the best ways we can control mosquitoes at the source. Check out more articles on this site for Mosquito Prevention, or email enviro@thewoodlandstownsip-tx.gov.