The $80 rain barrel I bought last summer is now a mosquito farm

I got one of those recycled plastic barrels from the city rebate program for $80 after the credit. Thought I was being smart watering my tomatoes on W. 117th without spiking my water bill. Now I'm dumping bleach in there every week and still getting bit every time I walk past. Anyone else deal with this or did I just set it up wrong?

2 comments

2 Comments

hugo_jones1mo ago

heard something on NPR about putting a tight screen over the top and the overflow hole, like window screen mesh. keeps the mosquitos from getting in to lay eggs in the first place. i tried it and it actually helped a lot, but you gotta make sure its really sealed around the edges or they still find a way in. also dumping a bit of vegetable oil on the surface can smother the larvae, though i know some people are weird about that with plants.

aaron7081mo ago

Haha, veggie oil in my rain barrel? My plants would be eating salad.