My mosquito problem cure while posting response to Gordon
 

It just dawned on me that some of you might have use for this.

I just posted a response to Gordon while waiting for my mosquito repellent which was simmering on the stove.

We had two resident bats in the area until 4 years ago when they mysteriously disappeared, and I haven't been able to lure them back.

As a result of them leaving the mosquito population has become intolerable and it was necessary to find a quick, easy, and cheap means of keeping them at bey.

This is what I use and it works extremely well.

To brew a batch you will need a pot that will hold a gallon or more of water, bulb of garlic, a sprayer of some sort (I use an electric paint sprayer).

Add 4 cloves of chopped and gently crushed garlic (about half a bulb) to the gallon of water. Bring to boil then reduce to gentle simmer with lid on, and simmer for 1 hour.

Strain garlic out and then add to a sprayer....a pump up sprayer works but I tend to be a bit lazy and use my electric paint sprayer.

For the area I do this batch gives me 1 application a week ( I do double batches as I have a huge pot). Don't save it more than a week as it will really start smelling awful.

I walk the perimeter of the house spraying shrubs, trees, and the ground out about 10 feet from the house....no more mosquitoes.....they hate the garlic.

The spray will survive a gentle rain but should be reapplied after a downpour...otherwise I do it twice a week. With the electric sprayer it takes me between 10 and 15 minutes to apply it to the area....and at a cost of about 39 cents for the double batch.

Take it a step further...

...have ants in your garden?

Chop and gently crush a clove of garlic, dice half a cucumber and add it to a quart of room temperature water. Let stand for at least an hour (2 hours preferably). Strain out the cucumber and garlic and add liquid to a hand sprayer. Spray the affected ground area in the garden or containers...ants really don't like this concoction and will move to another location and stay away if applied every couple of weeks.

Works great around tomato plants and keeps the ants from farming aphids on the tomato plants.

Cornell

Re: My mosquito problem cure while posting response to Gordon
 

Those are some cool home made mosquito and ant repellents. I am going to try the mosquito one because the darn things are swarming around my house.

Thanks