A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2003 Mosquitos--------Be Gone

Here is a good thing for the summer, for those who like to sit,enjoy the outdoors, but don't like those pesky mosquitoes. Put some water in a white dinner plate and add just a couple of drops of Lemon Fresh Joy dishwashing soap. Set the dish on a porch or patio. Not sure what attracts them, the lemon smell, the white color, or what, but mosquitoes flock to it, and drop dead, or fall into the water, or on the floor within about 10 ft. Works just super!

Wow! What a great tip! I'm definitely going to try that! Think it might work when you get that occassionaly indoor gnat outbreak in the summer? Grrrr! Had that happen last year. Almost made me nuts!

OurFamily,
Sure wouldn't hurt to try it inside..My sisterinlaw told me about this..Hope it works for you..I know i'll try it outside..We are in Texas..As im sure you have heard things in Texas grows big well that goes for MOSQUITOS too...lol
Good luck hope it works for you...

LOL. I didn't know that about the mosquitoe's! Tell ya what, if I have an outbreak of fruit flies, I'll try it and let ya know what happens. And, when you try it, let me know. Deal?

I was so frustrated with those fruit flies, I wanted to try one of those mosquitoe traps. Than I found out that they work on propone. Oh well I'd like one of those, but they are very expensive

Definitely going to give the Lemon Fresh Joy a chance!

One thought thoough, if it has such a toxic offect, I'm not sure I want to use it on my dishes - LOL! Don't mind me, I'm an organic gardner

I know this might sound funny, but I have had fruit fly problems over the years, I compost so I have compost in my kitchen and some times I wonder where they all come from,
But I did a little trick one time..........
I put my stuff that they are attracted to in a zip lock baggie....... on the counter over night......then in the morning I sneak up on them real quick and zip 'em all in there.....
It REALLY DOES TAKE CARE OF THEM BUGGERS!!!!
Now, some do get away (always a pregnant one) and some come back, but never large amounts and I can always get the baggie out several nights in a row!!!
Try it!!!
Weezie

OurFamily,
You got a deal!!!!lol Ony problem is right now we haven't had any rain for months.. But the good part about no rain is there no Mosquitos..lol Im sure we will get our share of rain soon i hope..I promise i will try it let you know how it works..lol Hey just thinking the makers of Joy might give us a free bottle to try..This could make that company richer..lol :p

Speaking of mosquitos, SC had its first case of west nile virus found in a dead crow not far from here...they say this is really early for that.
It's going to be a bad year for mosquitos with all the rain we've gotten.

That WEST NILE virus is pretty scarey..When i lived in Louisiana was pretty bad there..Now there saying that you just don't get it from Mosquitos..
Bob you better us that OFF.. MOSQUITOS are so big in Texas sounds like Hummingbirds flying around your head..lol

What works for me: 1 cup of lemon dishsoap, 1 cup of lemon scented ammonia, top up with water in a 20 gallon hose end sprayer, and spray all over the perimeter of your yard. No 'skeeters here, lol!

-Lori

Are these remedies safe for household pets outdoors. I have 3 big dogs, and a cat who like to walk in the yard, and do their business. I'm interested in the recipe that you spray in dilution around the perimeter of the yard. And how often do you spray? The ammonia does harm and plants or grass? Thanks for the tip!

Lori,
Great!!!! I'll have to try that too..Now that we finaly got some rain im sure those Tx size skeeters will be coming to my house..
Thanks a bunch for the tip..

Chicachow,
I don't think the ammonia would hurt the animals the smell would keep them away..But thats just what im thinking not sure tho..Maxy can im sure can tell u more about it..

Cats and dogs aren't crazy about the smell of lemon, either. The amount of ammonia in the mix becomes so minute when it's gone through 20 gallons of water, that I'm pretty sure it's harmless, I have 3 cats, and not one has ever been sick, BUT I can't guarantee its harmlessness. Ask your vet to be on the positive side.



Lori

oh! As for the grass, I haven't seen any damage, nor on my plants (I spray it all over my cedars, forsythia, and pines).

I spray 2x a week.

Hey great, now we licked the skeeters with your input, thank you. Now, will it work for BLACKFLIES? As I am getting eaten alive day or night and will continue to for about the next three weeks as we have had way too much rain this year.

Moxy,
Ok , the day has come for me to try out your recipe for mosquito destruction! We're having a small family get togeter this evening outside, and I've got everything i need. Thanks for the tips, and I'll keep you posted on my success. These daggone Japanese Tiger skeeters are nasty here. Well, off I go into the sunrise with my trusty sprayer at my side! Thanks, and have a great weekend everyone!

Moxy,
i am so ecstatic to report SUCCESS! I had to cut the recipe down to 1/4 of it's original size. But it worked, it worked that AM well into the night. We stayed outside until about 11:30 pm, and no one complained of mosquitos. I was so eager to share the "secret". Now, they want to try it too. Thanks again!

Ann, u r going to have to get a patent on that recipe....

Hello all!
Just wanted to report that it's been a hair over 2 weks since I sprayed for skeeters and we just started seeing them last night. So I sprayed this morning, and VoilA! No skeeters! I sprayed this stuff everywhere, all over all of my plants and shrubs, even lawn furniture and under my deck. It's been 2 weeks, and no harm to my plants or grasses. My dogs and cat don't seem to mind it much, they stay away from the areas until the areas are dry. I'm so confident about this remedy, the mosquitos are so horrible here, now I have revenge! Thanks again to Moxy, and TXwildflower for all the input. And anyone else I forgot! Happy growing!!!

Does it work to put some of that in standing water where they like to hatch their babies??
Like old tires, etc.
Weezie

Ann, are u sure they aren't falling dead because they finished laying their eggs....LOL
Just messing with u...

Bob,
You talking about Mosquitos right??

Txwildflower,
Ann,
You'll never guess what I got in the e~mail today, my neice sent me this, It's almost your post, word for word!!!
Go figure!!!

This was passed to us from Colter's Kindergarten teacher at the other school here.

Pass this on to anyone who likes sitting out in the evening or when they're
>having a cook out. So you don't like those pesky mosquitoes, especially
>now that they have the potential to carry the West Nile Virus? Here's a
>tip that was given at a recent gardening forum. Put some water in a white
>dinner plate and add a couple drops of Lemon Fresh Joy dish detergent. Set
>the dish on your porch, patio, or other outdoor area. Not sure what
>attracts them, the lemon smell, the white plate color, or what, but
>mosquitoes flock to it, and drop dead shortly after drinking the Lemon
>Fresh Joy/water mixture, and usually within about 10 feet of the plate.
>Check this out---it works just super! May seem trivial, but it may help
>control mosquitoes around your home, especially in the South and elsewhere
>where the West Nile virus is reaching epidemic proportions in mosquitoes,
>birds, and humans.
>
>Pass it on.


You're being published on the internet....
And read the mention of "tip that was given at a recent gardening forum."

What a bonus!!!!!

Just thought you'd get a kick out of it.

Weezie

P.S. My niece lives in Arizona..........