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 Child of Wood

.

Pinocchio was not made from this, nor its a Marigold plant.
Rather is deceptive looking Wormwood which is so elusively
made its way in confusing me for identification.
.

Its young shoots look like this, later they tend to turn into a needle like pine, fennel looking plant.
I had planted it together with my variegated lucky bamboo placed in a shady area but it didn't do well and went leggy all over. I had trimmed it but had left few of its main branch in the soil.
These are the new sprouts from it.
.

I was asked about its taste.
When I pinched to taste it, the aroma of minty lemon fragrance filled my nose and it tasted very much like basil at first, very much later, I felt like its oil essence remained at my lower taste bud with its balmy bitterness.

It was nice but I would prefer the fragrance much better than its taste.

Between the Heart, a Vine and a Wood

Between the Heart, a Vine and a Wood,
never but bleed nor Joy nor Worm nor Weed,
No.. Not a worm, not a Weed
but a Wormwood & Joyweed.

Whereas a Heart but bleed nor vine nor wood,
rest all these together a merry best friends
growing together supporting each other.

Have I confused you with my tangled words,
twisting vine & cords of three?
But now please cast your eyes upon them,
and see those fellows resting their arms
upon each other gracefully in elegance.

Do you see what I see?
A Bleeding Heart Vine, A Wormwood and A Joyweed.

.

This fern looking plant is really elusive in getting itself identified.

It took a great deal of time just to make sure that I got it right.

.

Its known known as Wormwood (Artemisia capillaris) There are many varieties of these species, but the most common one is this one. Its very much known locally as "pokok halau nyamuk" means mosquito repelled plant. But there is another one with a similar name identified together with geranium.

I found its name where some agricultural scholars are doing some research with this plant with the DNA genetic variability.

.

Though I doubt they really chase mosquito's away, they do have a nice fragrance, more like a fresh lemon, pine & a mint herbal smell. I guess that's what keeps these pest away.

.

Another thing about this plant is that the matured leaves look very different compared to the sprouted leaves. Here it look very much like an asparagus fern or fennel-like plant but actually they can really grow up more than 7 feet in a single branch.

.

Its actually a herb but its very much used as an ornament plant planted as borders. It can take good pruning and every time it comes back more bushy and lushly. It need good sunlight, lack of it may cause this plant to go leggy, scrawling all over & become very unattractive.

.

They need good watering too, lacking water may cause the young shoot to collapse. They also give out tiny grass like flowers where it would attract small birds to pick and eat them.

.

Garden Update - August 2009

This is my overall garden tending during this season (August 2009) I'm thinking of closing my garden development and just maintain in watering and light care till end of this year. I already exhausted my of the garden space with many potted plants. I still got a few more to sort and set which I have no idea where to place them.

As for now, I would consider this the final thing. Hopefully, no inspiration strike me and make me to re-design the whole thing.




This side consist of my water garden, the water lily plant and water lettuce. The waterlily plant have settle in being a dormant plant. I was thinking of trimming off all the damaged, semi-dried leaves and put fertiliser for the next bloom. May only do that, after sorting all the mess that is not shown at the other side of the garden.


My tiny fish is surviving in those pool, thanks to them, there is no mosquito infestation. The green background is something I'm still considering whether to change it or not. But to remove and relocate it requires space which I do not have. Its a pity to give it away as I have yet to enjoy the hibiscus & the water jasmine flowers or fragrance.

Plants that can be noted:

a) Spanish Moss - they look so beautiful in the morning, so much like a weeping willow type of scenerio.



Plants:
a) Those in small pots & blue containers - Hanni.
b) The white & green - Varigated Bougainvilla

My central portion of the garden is slowly getting crowded. I'm feeling good about it as it gives the explosion of colours and that is a good sign. What is troublesome is unpredictability. Not sure what is going to outgrow next or die first, especially coleus - they are very short term, may only thrive in 3-4 months period time.

And too much of anything can kill them (water, sun or fertiliser)

My planter box had reached the glorious moment, it was not like that when I first started it, they look all exposed earth (brown) and gaps here and there. Now the coleus reigns.

a) Balsam (not yet flowered)

b) 3 different types of painted Nettle (Coleus)

c) top right corner - Dumbcane varigated.

d) lower right corner - Purple Queen

The side face of the garden, here begonia rules.

Cane begonia and the curled leaf begonia give colour together with the hanni (drawf looking mother of tongue plant) I had placed a periwinkle in the midst, they give me a pee-a-boo effect when they bloom in these foliage.

The hanging flame violet are very grand now, hopefully they continue as I'm concerned that they are reaching their maturity stage where the whole plant dies. Still hoping that it last as long as it can support the weight and its collection of tendrils and floral.

Here is a pocket of plants which I'm still working on

a) Green Tradescantia - centre below

b) 2 pots of Pandan plant

c) a small bird nest fern plant - passed by my office mate (she often weeds these out and passed to others)

d) Back - Maiden Hair Fern.

This is the story of Wormwood marrying the Lucky bamboo (varigated type)

Dracaena sanderiana, known as Ribbon Dracaena, Lucky Bamboo, Belgian Evergreen or sometimes Ribbon Plant. It is also can be artificially made into spirals - often sold for decorations.

I did mention before that they are doing fine and all. I still admire the mix, noticed this morning some of the bamboo leaves are drying up. Need to prune them in these few days time.

My sad story of crown rot (ground orchid/palm orchid) because of over fertilising, I manage to salvage what is left over of the damage. Like a half burnt coconut tree. Somehow, they survived and I'm feeling grateful that I didn't loose the whole plant because of my mistake.

I have temporarily place these cattleya orchids here, may need to reposition them for their optimum light and wellness, that is once I settle the rest.

This is the outside part of my garden, I didn't realise how messy it looked now. With all the small containers and pots for little plants, they have found a place to grow and bloom. I guess its time to stop planting new plants and maintain what I have now.

Ohh.. I wished I have more space to garden.

The challenge now is to make them look neat and tidy.

Finally at the side gate:
a) Top left : Squirrel foot fern

b) bottom stretch: Petticoat fern & Boston fern

c) Centre: Madagascar Periwinkle

d) Top right: Reed orchid

Roses and Opals

This suppose to be my garden update for August but I guess Roses and Opals sound better.
Its amazing to note that my rose shoots gives out those maroon coloured leaves and all, infact all of my new shoots are in that colour, something nice to see in the sea of greens.

Along with it were those tiny little bells and flowers, these flowers bloom in the evening and they look spectacular, these Jewel of Opal are truly amazing. I had placed them side by side with the roses.(not so visible in this pic)

Also the Egyptian Star Cluster (the pink flowers) are at the height of blooming season. Its truly lovely to note all of them doing well. I was surprised that the red coloured one didn't survive, it slowly died in stages.

(Bottom last two pic)
I had planted 2 more coleus which I got from my mum, her particular species is aging and they too need replanting. Hope she manage to save them in time before they totally dry up. I also got a bunch of wormwood from my office mate which I manage to plant them. I'm still wondering what I'm going to do with this plant as they don't seem to fit nicely anywhere in the garden.