The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1359118
S-12 Home and Garden Wednesday, April 7, 2021 The Press-Dispatch Do It Yourself or Let us Help! Fully Stocked Greenhouses in time for your Spring Planting! • Computer Landscape Design • Perennials-Trees-Evergreens • Agricultural Chemicals for Home Use • Professional Landscape & Irrigation Installation • Fertilizer, Grass Seed, Rock & Mulch • Traeger Grills & Accessories • Spring Clean-up Landscaping & Mowing Services Stop in or give us a call, and be sure to check us out at www.brescher.com 4897 W. 150 N. • Jasper, IN 47546 • 812-482-3946 hometown store APPLIANCES ALL MAJOR BRANDS AVAILABLE! FURNITURE FOR THE ENTIRE HOUSE GE, S A M S U N G, F R I G I D A I R E, LG A N D M O R E. ELECTRONICS TELEVISIONS SONY, SAMSUNG AND LG 812-385-5757 1607 W BROADWAY, PRINCETON, IN Owned and Operated by Debra Walker HOURS : Monday thru Friday 10AM to 6PM • Saturday 9AM to 5PM • Sunday Closed ASK ABOUT COMMERCIAL AND BULK SALES! www.walkershometown.com • No-Interest Financing Available • 90 days Same as Cash • Lease to Own Open For Business Maintaining a clean and healthy environment! Techniques to keep mosquitoes out The value of a retreat-like backyard was never more ap- parent than in 2020. Over the last year-plus, much of the world has been forced to stay home as a global pandemic has claimed millions of lives while countless others have had to fight to survive in hos- pitals. It's no surprise peo- ple have looked for a respite from the harsh realities of liv- ing during a deadly pandemic, and many turned their atten- tion to their own backyards to provide such an escape. The online home remodel- ing platform Houzz reported a 58 percent annual increase in project leads for home pro- fessionals in June 2020. Con- tractors who specialize in outdoor spaces saw the big- gest increase in demand. A revamped outdoor space can provide the perfect retreat for homeowners who want to get away from it all. But one winged, unwelcome guest can quickly transform an oasis in- to an uninviting space. Mosquitoes make their presence felt in many areas each summer. These pesky, often hungry insects can car- ry disease, and their bites can be painful and itchy. Home- owners can try these three techniques to keep mosqui- toes out of their backyards. Remove standing water Standing water is a breed- ing ground for mosquitoes, who don't even need a lot of water to successfully breed. A daily walk around the prop- erty may uncover kids' toys, empty flower pots or other small receptacles that can col- lect water. Even clogged gut- ters can lead to the accumula- tion of a small amount of wa- ter, and that can be enough for mosquitoes to breed. Re- move these potential breeding grounds when you find them, and do so each day, as mos- quitoes mature from eggs to nymphs in roughly four days. Mow regularly Mowing the lawn so the grass never gets too high is another way to make a back- yard less hospitable to mos- quitoes. The pest experts at Terminix® note that mosqui- toes seek tall grass to protect them from the elements, in- cluding wind and hot summer sun. Mowing enough so grass never gets too high in summer can make backyards less invit- ing to mosquitoes. Plant with mosquitoes in mind The home remodeling ex- perts at HGT V note that plants can be part of home- owners' strategy to repel mos- quitoes. Various plants have mosquito-repellant qualities. For example, bee balm re- leases a fragrance as it grows, and mosquitoes don't like that fragrance. Homeowners can speak with a local lawn and garden professional for rec- ommendations about plants that can thrive in their region and repel mosquitoes at the same time. Mosquitoes can make it hard to enjoy a backyard oa- sis. But various strategies can help homeowners keep these unwanted guests out of their backyards. OF YOUR BACKYARD Did you know? According to the Environmental Protection Agency, air currents can carry pesticides that were applied to nearby properties. That means even people who do not apply pesticides in their lawns and gardens can still be at risk of expo- sure to these potentially harmful chemicals. People concerned by the prospect of being exposed to the pesticides being applied by their neighbors can stay indoors with their children and pets while the sub- stances are being applied. Those who live near fields and parks where pesti- cides are routinely applied can plant hardy, thick-branched trees to re- duce their risk of airborne expo- sure. The EPA notes that such plants and shrubs can serve as buffers against airborne pes- ticides, essentially acting as walls around a prop- erty that prevent gusty winds from blowing pesticides into yards and gardens.