But when you think about adding a water feature to your garden, you are torn, because you know that a charming pond can also be a mosquito hatchery. And, everyone is concerned; rightly, about mosquitoes and diseases they spread.

It is true, mosquitoes do need water to breed, but at same time, there are so many effective ways to prevent mosquitoes from breeding in ponds, you should not let that stop you. Water gardeners are in a unique position; they can have wet spaces that can actually help stop mosquitoes from breeding.

Just a few simple precautions are all you need to feel safe and enjoy such a wonderful addition to landscape.

If you have a water garden, or want one, try these suggestions.

ØHave moving water in your water garden. Mosquitoes will not lay eggs in running water. The newly hatched mosquito must rest on water’s surface for a few minutes to let its wings dry. If water is moving, female mosquito will not lay eggs there.

ØGet some mosquito fish for your pond. Mosquito fish, or gambusia affinis, are very aggressive predators of mosquito larvae. They are also aggressive to other fish and will also eat dragonfly larvae, or nymphs. If mosquito fish are too predatory for your particular tastes, several other types of fish readily consume mosquito larvae, such as guppies, killifish, and small goldfish. Koi are too large and will not target larvae.

The whole flower garden should be dug over, but it is most important not to injure hardy plants that will remain. Where there are a lot of these, it is safer to dig with a fork than a spade. A spade is much more likely to cut roots through if it comes across them. This, of course, presupposes you already have a flower bed with easily worked soil. Annual plants may all be pulled up and carted away to compost bin as they cease to flower.

Remember that many of our hardy perennial plants die down for winter. Their leaves and stems wither and die. But we must not conclude that plant is dead just cause tops die. The roots are very much alive and in spring beautiful fresh young growth will peep through soil. This is just a caution for newbie gardener.