5 Tips On How To Get Rid Of Mosquitoes

Picture this: you’re outside, enjoying the sunset, and enjoying the cooler weather that the day has FINALLY brought. You’re sipping on your souther, NC sweet tea, talking with your friends, and watching the grill master cook up some perfect sirloin steaks. But suddenly, you start to feel something itch on your arms, and then your legs. You look down, and there’s what seems to be a thousand little flying, annoying insects circling you like they’re about to feast on you. Mosquitoes. And just when you’re about to “call it a night” and go inside, you remember this blog post that gave you some tips and tricks to get rid of those mosquitoes.

5 Tips On How To Get Rid of Mosquitoes:

1. Remove Standing Water.
Mosquitoes love standing water and are drawn to it. Why? Because their eggs can not develop into larvae without water, so it’s essential for them to survive. Simply removing any water in birdbaths, dog bowls, or old tires might be just the trick you need to slowly get rid of those pesky insects.

If you’re wanting to have a water feature in your back yard, it’s best to have one that has continuously moving water. A great option that we have available at our stores are these fountains that are pictures above.

2. Plant Mosquito Repelling Plants
At Garden Valley Farmers Market, we recommend the following plants to our customers:
+ Citronella
+ Lemongrass
+ Marigolds
+ Catnip
+ Rosemary
+ Bee Balm
+ Peppermint
+ Lavender

You can plant these herbs and flowers around your porches, in the pots on your picnic table, or up your front porch steps. Basically wherever you spend your time outside, you will want to plant them there.

3. Hang Bat Houses.
Okay, this might seem a little ridiculous. But, in case you didn’t know, bats eat mosquitoes and mosquitoes are terrified of bats. It’s a simple trick to deter those mosquitoes from laying eggs around your home. Try it out and let us know if it works for you!

4. Trim Bushes And Mow Grass
Mosquitoes hate heat and need a place to relax from the hot sun. They also like to eat on the nectar of the plants when they’re not feasting on us… so trimming up your vegetation and keeping the grass mowed is a great way to reduce the population of mosquitoes.

5. Wind.
Luckily for us, mosquitoes are not strong enough to withstand wind. So even if it’s not a breezy day, grab a few fans, hang them around your porch, and turn ‘em on. Another great option is to finally install that ceiling fan on your covered porch that you’ve been wanting to have put up for the past 10 years. It’s worth it.

We’d love to hear your tips and tricks on how you prevent having mosquitoes invading your summer nights! Comment below and let us know.

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Thank you so much for joining us here. For more information on what Garden Valley Farmers Market is about, you can visit us here. If you’re wanting to follow along with us, you can do so either on our Facebook or our Instagram. And if you’re wanting to check out our other blog posts or needing more inpsiration, follow us on our Pinterest. We’d love to have you join us in our journey of planting better, eating better, and living better.
Much love,
Your Garden Valley Farmers Market Team

How To Care For Geraniums

Geraniums are a beautifully colorful and fragrant option that give you all the spring and summer gardening vibes. They have over 250 species, are low maintenance (once you learn their needs), and make a great addition to your garden.

When healthy, Geraniums are full of lush blooms and filled with green leaves, so they make a great addition to cover the base of shrubs. They are also beautiful in window boxes, in a hanging basket, in single pots on their own, or in an eclectic mixed container. And not only do these beauties smell amazing, but they also help to repel insects… mosquitoes in particular. Geraniums can be grown outside and indoors, making this plant very versatile.

DID YOU KNOW…
…that when most people think of geraniums, they are actually thinking of what is called a Pelargonium, and Pelargoniums are not a “true” Geranium. Because in 1789, Geraniums were separated into two genus species, one of them being Pelargonium. But for reference, we will refer to Pelargoniums as Geraniums for this article… because it’s easier to say and write.

How To Care for Geraniums

Geraniums have very specific needs, but once they are learned, you’ll see that these beautiful plants will thrive and be the next show stopper piece for your garden, front porch, or back deck.

Where to Grow.
+ Indoors. Geraniums need a minimum of moderate light indoors, but more blooms will be yielded if they receive heavy light. Also, if you’re more interested on growing Geraniums indoors, check out this blog post over on Balcony Garden Web.
+ Outdoors. If growing outside, place your Geranium in a spot that receives FULL SUN (minimum of 6 hours of sunlight). If you are in a climate where the temperature reaches above 90 degrees, you also might want to consider planting your Geranium where it receives morning sun, but afternoon shade.

When and How to Plant.
Plant your geraniums only after the threat of a frost has passed. You can check your individual tags on the specific type of geranium you have purchased, but generally, you will want to space them 8”-12” apart.

Soil.
Geraniums love a slightly acidic, well-draining soil. If planting in a pot, you can easily accomplish this by adding moss to your soil, and covering the base of your pot with rocks to allow for better drainage.

Watering.
Geraniums can be prone to root-rot, so you should only need to water them weekly. Allow the soil to dry out completely, and then give it a good soaking.
How to Water: Soak your geranium at the level of the soil of the plant thoroughly. Be careful to avoid getting the leaves and blooms wet. This can cause rotting/disease of the leaves and burning of the blooms (when in the sun).

Pruning.
You can prune Geraniums by pinching off the end of the stem. This allows for two new growths to happen in its place, and will also produce a more “full” looking bush.

So where can you even get these gorgeous plants? We have TONS of options available for purchase at each of our locations at Garden Valley Farmers Market. We are local to the following locations in North Carolina: Greensboro, Haw River, Graham, Elon, and Burlington. So stop by today, and see just how beautiful these gorgeous plants really are.

Comment below and tell us what your favorite colors are!