mrpink83
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I grow marigolds on my deck and used to have several mint plants. The marigolds work for sure, as I can sit on my deck very comfortably between two big planters with marigolds in them.
I quit growing mint because their roots spread under my deck and were growing like crazy, threatening the supports.... had to kill them :( ... but they smelled nice! :)
I just planted these a few days ago, but it does the trick every year!
Also, I have no idea what is wrong with my nine year old lemon tree pictured near the arm of the chair. It has never produced a lemon, but sometimes it has dozens of leaves.
BasilBall
Nice deck and chillin' space! Try giving your lemon tree a larger, deeper pot. Maybe it's root bound? And then just absolutely drown that MF'er with water. Citrus loooooooooves water.
TheReptileDysfunction
I remember as a kid my parents had a patch of mint that grew like wildfire that I always enjoyed mowing over.
jonalexassblast
Tastes and smells great, but so damn invasive..
nosnowyno
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/lemons/growing-lemon-trees-containers.htm
JuliusPepperwoodFromChicago
You’ll have nice plants and all of the usual bugs because these don’t work.
presswc
Undumpable
Lol, looks like the lime tree i bought from home depot. Came with 2 leaves, should have a 3rd by fall
smorsdoeuvres
WalksTheSky
Maybe you could plant the mint in a pot? Btw, nice deck pic @OP ;)
supermaris
We have mint jail, cilantro jail, and dill jail. Mint to contain. Cilantro to just keep reseeding so we don’t worry about it bolting. Dill because slugs and snails LOVE it and it’s easy to reseed because we use it a lot. Each has a flower cellmate!
mrpink83
I had my mint plants in pots, but their roots (tendrils?) spread like wildfire to everywhere. Thank you about the deck, although it needs some repairs.
Imustupvotealltacos
Fabric pots prune the roots using the air. It makes it nearly impossible for them to overgrow the pot
MyWifiHatesMe
Unsolicited deck pic
Jimbo64
We've tried all the "plant tricks" for keeping mosquitoes away. None of them work. Maybe our mosquitoes are dumb.
DogTaxEvader
The efficacy of these things is typically overstated. Talking by personal experience. Also, you *want* spiders. Spiders only survive by praying on stuff you don't want around. If you see a spider, think that its entire mass x N would have been something else, if that spider wasn't there, something worse for you. A spider is always a **net advantage** for you (barring dangerous ones, which is never unless you are in Australia or something are rare regardless).
Bananasandwiches42
Trust me, there's nothing in my city a spider is going to protect me from. I am mostly a saver; I humanely move them out of my room unless it's a wolf spider. Those things are out for blood. Or a orb weaver. Freaks of the spider world. Haven't had to kill any of those in a long time thankfully.
OpenMouthHotKiss
Tried to keep mosquitoes away, ended up with even bigger bugs
GodsWorkSon
Size of the ladybugs this year
ShiftyFerret
Looks like a ladybug, don’t worry those are generally beneficial as their kitten form are voracious predators to harmful pests.
SeanBeanJovi
At least it's not a spotted laternfly. Those things swarm!
mrpink83
bingtittletittlebong
Florida mosquito laughs at your graphic
TheEuphinator
I fucking hate spiders. My diffuser is constantly running peppermint.
ChrisWsrn
I planted catnip and ended up with cats...
CrazyT2018
"had to kill them :( ... but they smelled nice! :)" sound like a quote from a horror movie ...
YippeeKayakOB
"with some Fava beans and a nice Chianti!"
JustinWasHere
That lemon tree is perfect, don't change a thing.
yougotredonyu
Give the lemon tree another year. I think it’ll bloom.
mrpink83
Well, 10th year, I got some good ideas, but I think this plant just wants to die.
CharlieandOliver
Must be those lemon stealing whores
bound4doom
Wait... so if you want whores you plant Lemon trees?
Muttons1337
I don't know much about trees, but I know they like to have room to grow. I don't think you can bonsai them in such a small pot.
CatsIsTheAnswer
But beware of the whores: some of them will try to steal your lemons as soon as they pop up
squintish
Lemon could use a bigger pot.
DJGenoBreaker
Where's the YouTube video if that guy saying Irish spring soap or deo can't remember which around the doors keeps bugs away
Freestila
Nothing natural keeps moscitos away. There have been tests with lemon extracts, different aroma oils and so on. Chemical bug repellents work, but only on the part of the skin that is treated. Leave any spots and they will find them.
IsolatedAsshole
Sounds like I need to grow a ton of basil and peppermint
l33tChickenWings
Can we stop sharing boomer facebook posts with no basis in fact? Know what clinically works? DEET. Picaridin. Oil of lemon eucalyptus. A use case of one ≠ does the trick.
WildKitty
Fresh catnip does work. Especially the true catnip with the broad leaves and white flowers.
jammer909
Didn't know marigolds were mosquito repellent.
Panicpeace
Ummm do you take the lemon tree inside for the winter?
fartharder
otherwise the lemon stealing whores will get at it
mrpink83
Yes, I do.
Panicpeace
Idk. I put mine in citrus potting mix and give it citrus fertilizer
mrpink83
Well! It never dawned on me to try that... I just googled it and will soon transplant my lemon tree into that soil combo. Thanks bro!
mrpink83
Also, I've adopted the usage of the word "bro" apart from anyone else saying it unless you say it how I say it in real life™
mrpink83
bro™
HoophHaartd
I wouldn't try to keep spiders away.... they are your ally in the war against bugs.
BryanTenn
Be careful what you plant. Some plants attracts animals. My neighbor had some funny parsley in his field and it attracted pigs.
ProfaneSanction
My neighbor had a van down by the river and it attracted Farley.
Semphir
So going out in the tall grass... You just tie a plant of rosemary to each leg and you tick free?
Cucumberclouds
A Rosemary ghillie suit, you say?
wadatahmydamie
It sounds like a good idea, but start making it well in advance of when you’ll need it, because it’ll take a lot of thyme to get the details right
beastfan
I’ve never seen a good source for much of this stuff. At least not mosquitos.
Kehy
I know citronella geraniums exist, and yep, they smell of citronella. They might work?
CreepyPhlox
Nope. The only way to get them to work is to constantly rub the leaves on your skin. May as well get a can of Off at that point.
BigDigEnergy
This. There is a huge difference between the effects of an essential oil vs the passive scent of a plant in the yard. Mint plants repel rats is a popular one. My wild rat enjoys eating it in enrichment bundles.
Forosnai
When we moved into our house, I found a bunch of chestnuts in various corners, which a little look on the internet told me was most likely meant to repel spiders. Which is ridiculous, because even if chestnuts DO bother them somehow, it would only keep them off of the chestnuts. Spiders smell through touch, and it's not like chestnuts spray their essence all over the place.
BigDigEnergy
Yep. I see these posts in my gardening groups allot. I'm not saying there aren't plants that don't repel things, but most of the scent based is rubbish. Lavender repelling fleas and ants, etc. My wild rat wouldn't like huffing concentrated peppermint oil, but then neither would I. Big difference between that and passive planting.
CongratsYouAreHereNow
I just read an article on certain trees that act as pest control for the immediate area, but I can’t find it. Anyway, if anyone takes anything from this post, please know that manufactured pesticide is poisoning the entire planet, including the rain, please don’t use it; herbicide either, ESPECIALLY glyphosate (roundup)
Snuffalybuns
Building on that, don't fall for the trap of thinking organic pesticides are any safer, they're often worse. Do your research before you apply anything. I see people all the time espousing the soap/salt/vinegar mix for weeds because they don't want to use "chemicals", not understanding that they've just made something equally toxic.
WoodHandle
Worse yet are the systemic herbicides.
Snuffalybuns
Most herbicides are systemic. There are still contact herbicides on the market but they're a little niche because the majority of the time they're much less effective. It depends on what's being treated and what the goal of the application is. Generally if you can buy it at the hardware store it's systemic.
theincrediblehoek
Synthetic?
WoodHandle
Systemic.
HuskyBug
I think they meant systemic - “Relating to or affecting the entire body or an entire organism.” As in the aforementioned glyphosate which translocates within the plant after contact and will kill the entire plant, not just the part sprayed. This is in contrast to contact herbicides which only kill the portion the product touches.
RenegadeBlob
I'm in Tucson and citrus usually fails out here due to over watering. Test for moisture a few inches down before watering.
mrpink83
I went to school in Tucson! :) What do you mean though - too much or too little watering?
RenegadeBlob
Too much water is bad. It causes root rot. The soil needs to fully dry out between waterings.
mrpink83
Alrighty.
smadge1
I’ve found the best way to stop mosquitoes biting is to be near someone the mosquitoes prefer more.
SquidBait
That would require being near people. I'll stick with the mosquitoes; they are at least predictably awful.
areyouelonmusk
I am that person
ShadowSquids
So If I want to not be swarmed by flies I need to hang around Ted Cruz because he's a sack of shit?
TI99Kitty
That won't work. He's some kind of turd even the flies can't stand.
sway073
The 'Jam boy'
SomebodyalreadytookMyPants
I just shout at the mosquitoes "YOU WANT SOME OF THIS BLOOD?!?!?!? COME AND GET IT!!!" and they are like that dude is weird, let's drink someone else's blood.
dolphindreamsandsatan
Are you my girlfriend?
Deedeelee
Apparently an O+ blood type
pickupallyourfloorbags
I'm A+ and I get eaten alive my mozzies ::'l
butIlikeitbecauseitisbitterandbecauseitismyheart
Reporting for duty as the mosquito magnet
snakeoilsalesman
The "Hiking in bear country with a slower friend" technique.
Jinxies
Is there one that keeps people away?
wadatahmydamie
Manchineel
Jinxies
I accept all of these suggestions and shall implement them immediately.
WoollyHooligan
Triffids
Avilan1972