QUESTION: After all the rain we have had recently, we have had a lot of mosquitoes in our backyard. How can we get rid of them?
ANSWER: You can spray with insecticide, of course, but you also want to police the backyard and dump all water out of buckets, watering cans and pet dishes. You can burn citronella candles on the picnic table if you’re eating outside. Planting citronella, basil and lavender can also get them to go away. The nice thing about Arizona is that pretty soon it will get dry again and they’ll stop breeding.
Q: I’m replacing my old window screens and considering installing security screens instead. I wanted to avoid installing wrought iron security bars. But do security screens provide as much protection as security bars?
A: They are definitely good at keeping intruders out of your house, and yet you can still exit your house quickly in case of fire or other emergency. The mesh on the screens is stronger than ordinary screening and has been fastened with screws onto the frame. Besides getting stronger screens, you need to install a security screen front door and put good bolts and locks on all doors. You definitely don’t want intruders to think your house can easily be broken into. Be sure to keep your front door area free from brush or anything that someone can hide behind that may make it easier to gain unauthorized entry to the house.
Q: When the kitchen hot water faucet is turned on, pipes rattle and water comes out both quickly and slowly. As the water gets warmer, the faucet vibrates. Is the faucet the problem or is it the plumbing? The faucet was installed in 2008.
A: If it’s only happening in the kitchen, it could be a problem with the faucet. You might have to install a water hammer arrestor under the sink to stop the vibration and rattling.
Q: I bought some Bermuda grass sod last winter and planted it on the north side of my house in an area that is shady. The first winter, I overseeded with rye grass and it was fine, but last spring, the Bermuda did not come back very well. By summer it had died. Is it because it was in total shade for half the day? Should I overseed again and will the Bermuda come back in summer?
A: Probably the Bermuda really didn’t come back during the summer because of your shade problem. You can plant rye grass again and enjoy it. Then in March or April, try supplementing with fescue and see how it does. You can also seed fescue into your rye. Fescue doesn’t like heat and may like the shade in your yard.
Q: I want to plant a tree along a walkway in front of my south-facing house. It can’t be a really big tree though. So, I’m looking for a compact, green-leafed tree. But I don’t want it to drop leaves and debris all year long. It’s a spot that gets intense heat in the summer.
A: Possibly a cascalote would work. It’s an evergreen tree with spiky yellow flowers. Or maybe the Mexican bird of paradise tree. Both are short — about 10 to 15 feet in height. For even more choices, check out hamwua.org — the website of the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association.
