Mosquito Repellent Ideas

I have come across many gardeners who had stopped gardening for the fear of mosquito's. Though it sound like a laughing matter but not so funny when someone in family dies having a denggi fever.

The war with these mosquito's are real, not to mentioned few of the other deadly species of this kind. And so, what can you do to combat with them - these are some of the tips, mostly had worked for me - to date, none of the mosquito's had ever invaded my home (regardless how jungle-like my garden may appear to be) but somehow my neighbours seemed to be having series of mosquito attacks. (Somehow, they have not planted any plants nor believe in a garden)

1) Plant Strong Fragrant Foliage plants.
Mosquito's are attracted to CO2 breathed in the air, that's how they find their prey. One of the ways to repel them is to knock out their sense of smell. These are some of the tropical plants that you can plant in your garden to deter them:

a) Wormwood (Artemisia capillaris)
b) Marigold
c) Indian Borage
d) Lantana
e) Any Mint family plants (Peppermint, Spearmint, etc)
g) Lemongrass
h) Neem plant
i) Garlic / Onion plant.
j) Holy Basil (Thulasi)
k) Common Rue

Many of these do not work to the full effect unless the leaves or flowers are damaged somehow, and no one wants to hurt their plants. Occasionally you can rip a leaf off and crush it up and that should do the trick. I would also recommend that when you go to trim your plant, or if you need to remove any drying out leaves, etc., remove them and place them back into the pot with the plant. Not only will this biodegrade and be good for the plant, but the oils released from the crushed leaves will repel them.
Alternatively place these plants where there is a strong wind as the fragrance will linger around your garden.

2) Aquatic Garden & Plants
These are the remedy for those who are in love with your aquatic plants but fear of having mosquito's breeding in your water garden:

a) Copper Coins: Place as many copper coins as possible in the water pond - the copper coins apparently give out some leached chemical that kills the mosquito larvae.
This is one of the ways of destroying mosquito breeding grounds.

b) Breed Frogs & Fish in your aquatic garden. These will deter the mosquito from laying eggs and also control those flying menace becoming food for the jumping friend. Also include Spiders as their webs are very much helpful to trap them too.

e) If you have a very big garden, do find the means to breed dragonflies, bats and swift & swallows - they all eat mosquito's. Its may be difficult and challenging to house these in the garden but if you have the creativity to keep them - its sure a task worth introducing in gardens.

f) Aquatic Plants: Bladderwort
Also introduce bladderwort in your aquatic garden as they are carnivorous plant and may feed on mosquito larvae.

g) Avoid plants that hold water.
There are some plants that just attracts mosquito's. I had discovered that mosquito's just love to sit and buzz around plants that hold water and these are mostly aquatic plants.
Unless you are diligent & constantly check whenever it rains and that mosquito doesn't breed on them, I recommend that you don't introduce them in your garden.
Plants that hold water:
a) Bromeliad (check the central crown)
b) Heliconia & Banana (sections of the leaves)
c) Ginger (some species hold water in their flowers)

I'm sure there are a lot more to add about mosquito as more and more discoveries have been made. A lot more of speculations made where real scientific study is yet to be verified. I'm sure for now for those who are seeking for mosquito free garden - this information may help.

Finally, these are my Wormwood plant (Artemisia capillaris) in my garden.
(For those who are wondering how wormwood looks like)

Garden Oh Garden....

These are the moment I'm scratching my head and wondering what to say,
"Ahh...Hmm..."(sigh!)

Its ridiculous actually, I just reset the whole thing and its not what intend it to be. Another few weeks & I'm sure the whole thing would turn into a blob of plants, I hardly can see the base of the pot now (making it more difficult for me to water)

Somehow, it look pretty in their own mess but should I make it neat and tidy?
Again, I really don't have the time & energy to do it.

What do you think dear gardeners?
Share with me your thoughts & ideas of what should I do concerning this.

Would consider this beautiful & keep it or prefer otherwise? (neat & tidy)

The Plants that Died in my Garden

Reality bites & in this case - its more of stings and spikes. I love plants, l really do but sometimes you can't really say that it works both ways. For instance, I rescued this agave from the abandon area (right now, the whole place is sealed for demolition) Somehow, I manage to collect some of this pups but they somehow had slowly turned rotten and died.

Followed by my Rue.
Actually it was doing well until the mealybugs strike and killed the parent plant. I actually had reserve (those which I had trimmed and propagated for emergencies such as these) but I had forgotten that it was the only plant I had and I had given it to mum who had been desiring it (as to say, and herb or medicinal plants are very much coveted by the old-folks)

Then the orchids.
Both of these were actually rescued from abandoned areas, the first one somehow managed to flower continuously til it just drop dead. (I thought, orchids live forever?) Anyway, these are the last memories of what I had in my garden.

Farewell plants - I do miss you Rue, your lovely exotic fragrance but it seemed that its a little difficult for sensitive plants to survive in my hardcore garden, especially when I'm just too busy to tend the garden everyday.

A few more had already died - of which I do not even get to snap their pictures (Verbena, Water lily & Balsam) I guess they are never meant to be.

(sob, sob... "blow the nose" - OK, done)
I still got a lot of the rest of the collection which needs pruning and the weeding and the another set of re-arranging to do all over again as they all are overgrowing and turning into a jungle.