Mosquitos & Rain Barrells

hikingnclimbing

How do you prevent mosquitos from using your rain barrell as a breeding ground? My DH has grand garden plans for this spring and I'd love to add a rain barrel to make watering it more friendly to our well. But I know that mosquitos are going to be his first concern when I bring it up.

pixieprincss

PPs idea sounds like the best one, but you can also buy  Mosquito Dunks if needed. We have a sketchy sump pump set-up from the previous owners and we had to get these because gnat larva were taking up residence in our sump well. Ick! Because the water gets pumped into our back yard, we wanted something that wouldn't taint our forthcoming organic garden (not that it will dump on it or anything, but still).

jebuell

Move somewhere that doesn't have a mosquito problem. 

Sorry, couldn't resist!  I grew up in Minnesota and now live in SoCal.  I love not having to deal with mosquitoes anymore!

junebride060306

mine doesn't have a very large area on top for water to sit. it does have some kind of mesh screen. also I put rocks on top of it too. the water never sits at the top. if it did then I think mosquito's would come but all last year I never saw any near it.

5503landis

Is there any time of environmentally friendly "stuff" you could pour into it? 

I too want to start using rain barrels and fear the same thing.  Unfortunately the mosquitos here love my backyard and sometimes wait until I walk out my back door where they can all greet me at once.

@JuneBride - since you don't have any 'sqeeters, can we come live with you?  I'll bring my rain barrels with me!

hikingnclimbing

Oh, yeah. Duh! Screen. Makes perfectly good sense to me. I'm hoping to get my DH to let me tie it in to the downspout on our gutter and will line all openings with screen to keep the nasties out. Since we're on our own well and it isn't that great a one in the first place, I just might be able to sell it to him now. Woot! Thanks for your help, ladies.