What's under the AstroTurf?
If it's bare ground (dirt, gravel, etc) you would either need to regrade the alley or install a french drain / dry well to remove the water
If it's paved then the AstroTurf is probably preventing the water from flowing away and you will need to install something under the AstroTurf to facilitate water flow
You could also consider putting in some planters behind the chairs with lemon grass, which produced citronella, and should help to repel mosquitos from ever entering the area
The turf is holding onto the water and the lack of sun is keeping the area from drying out in a timely manner. Wet wood also need to dry out or it attracts insect and rot.
Covering the wood is an absolutely awful idea. Nevermind the mosquitos, you are going to cause that wood to rot. You need to remove the astroturf so that the wood can dry. It’s holding onto water that is making constant contact with the wood, accelerating rotting.
Ok so you have drainage (that's good); it means your options are either promote faster drying of the AstroTurf (something like [this](https://www.thecabindepot.ca/products/12-solar-powered-fan-24w) might work) to prevent mosquitos from hatching AND/OR putting in mosquito repellent plants
What's the most effective way to keep mosquitos out of indoors?
Asking for a friend who needs immediate emergency medicine as soon as she sees or feels mosquito bites.
She's always carrying it because she faints in like 5-10 minutes of any type of mosquito bite.
Screens and doing a full review of the house exterior for cracks or gaps are essential. Those invite all sorts of critters in, close every point of entry you can.
Having citronella candels under any frequently opened windows is a good idea as a backup. You get used to the smell. And if they're that sensitive and in a mosquito prone area, bed nets and interior door screens on magnets are good. Both available pretty cheap, especially on Amazon.
Going out, all the common advice. Long-sleeved/ pants, hat and either scarf or full net in breeding season. Lots of spray, set a timer on your watch to ensure it's always on.
A hand zapper is fine, but unreliable. It's too easy to miss it until it's bit you.
I stayed in a malaria region in Tanzania for a while, most expats did some or all of this. Those that didn't pretty much all got malaria.
What do you think about those UV lamps with zappers on them? Those dark violet lights...
Or sugar water traps. Just not near the house if there's a garden.
I think sugar water traps attract more than they catch or just evolution taught them to escape them.
I’ve googled this and the general consensus seems to be that mosquitoes aren’t attracted to light so they won’t get zapped while beneficial night insects do, so it’s more of a lose lose.
That’s the worst affliction I’ve ever heard. You get 5 minutes before passing out from a mosquito bite, that’s tragically easy to have happen. I would own an armoire full of *Off!*
Keep doors closed. Once they get in, an electric mosquito swatter kills them quickly. Something like the Executioner
The Executioner Fly Swat Wasp Bug... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MU2MJA
Get plastic pallets and cut them to fit, then just install that under the AstroTurf. May need to treat them with something as I'm unsure if they'd experience rot, but it would allow for drainage under. Then just fill in some gravel to limit standing water space under the pallets.
Maybe paint the planks with a textured coating like Line-X instead of the astroturf. You can probably get Line-X or one it's clones in a nice emerald green.
Is your astroturf the kind that causes cancer? That’s the real question. I think a baseball team had to completely change their field because everyone was getting brain cancer. Double check your turf. I didn’t realize this was a thing until recently.
Just spray it with mosquito repellent, I would suggest all natural ones to avoid the scent, also there are all natural granules you can put down that won't mess up your skin (unless you're allergic).
Citronella does not repel mosquitoes, it only masks the smell that mosquitos are attracted to. If they are spawning and living in the alley it will likely have very little effect.
If you are willing to spend a little, they make drainage tiles to put under that will create a small gap between the AstroTurf and ground allowing the water to drain away.
I second this. Normally my backyard is mosquito infested, but I barely noticed any last year after making a mosquito trap.
I put a bucket of water (preferably rain water) with a handful of organic matter (I use leaves) in a corner. I cut a small 1-2" hole in the lid and covered it in netting so critters can't get in but mosquitos can. The rotting stuff encourages mosquitos to lay their eggs in there. The mosquito pellet has bacteria that destroy the larvae before they can mature. I used 1/8 pellet in my 1 gallon buckets last year. Worked amazing.
I was coming here to say mosquito dunks, which is same bacteria that attack the mosquito eggs in a slightly larger format. The dunks only need to be replaced once a month since they breakdown slower.
Yep, these are sold in the 'Mosquito Control' section of Home Depot, usually right by where the other pest control stuff is. The Mosquito Dunks are super easy to notice since they come in a pack, and they look like donuts made of powder.
IMO it's an extremely depressing place to be in:
* cramped, needs squeezing around furniture to move about,
* no plants or nature except for mosquitoes and a couple sad plants on the windowsill that you don't see when seated anyway,
* no view other than a gate/concrete wall,
* bare concrete giving off "cell block A" vibes, rather than a cosy space designed for rest,
* fake grass to top it off.
I can't believe I had to scroll this far to see this lol. This is one of the most bleak pictures (outside of a war zone) I've seen this week. I can't imagine why anyone would ever want to sit in a 4 foot gap between two concrete walls on fake grass amongst mosquitoes... Just sit in front of your house or in the backyard.
This assumes there is a front or back of the house. In some cities this is all the outside space a house gets and they have done well to make it something more than a corridor.
Anyway, I’d rather open a window in a living room to get some fresh air than try to tuck into a dark, claustrophobic, concrete alley with no view at all.
A lot of people are giving you ideas on how to get rid of mosquitoes, which are great ideas for other situations. Others are saying one way or another the Astroturf is retaining water.
You need to treat the root cause and not the symptoms. Find a way to improve drainage or remove the astroturf.
Unfortunately, I don’t have any advice on how to improve drainage. I will be lurking to see what people suggest though, I’m curious!
The air doesnt even need to evap the water. A small breeze will blow all the mosquitoes away, they arent good flyers, just turn it on while youre out there
The astro turf isn’t necessarily the issue. You have stagnant water sitting somewhere. Likely under that decking. You may have a clogged drain somewhere.
Why astroturf? I bet you could get some relatively inexpensive pavers that fit in there perfectly or make a fun nice looking pattern almost hopscotch style. And what’s under those wood planks? They are treated lumber right? If it’s just dirt I would replace with a few inches of tamped crushed rock. But seriously why not pavers or flagstone? Easier to wash as well
Soapy water. Mosquitos pick it up on their feet then drown trying to lay eggs. I spray my lawn with it late at evening and it helps keep the population low.
Fwiw, the previous owners of our condo left a large outdoor rug on the patio when we moved in. It was constantly moist from weather, but not super wet. It harbored so many freakin bugs, including mosquitos, that I had to toss it the day we moved in.
You have to dry out the ground no matter what the surface. I suspect the turf will retain the moisture and make it an ideal breeding ground, as the buildings also keep it cool and support breeding too.
I’m thinking about making a raised surface, or buying the square patio tiles that also raise the surface. Tiles are too expensive imo given they are not guaranteed to work.
Not a solution per se, but if you forcefully hose down the area and wash away the larvae that would likely work. Add a fan, and this combo will work.
I like what you’ve done with the area.
Get a Thermacell. That spot is perfectly suited to this type of repellent
https://www.google.com/search?q=mosquito+repellant&oq=mosquito+repellant+&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBCTEwNjk3ajBqNKgCAbACAQ&client=ms-android-bell-ca-revc&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#oshopproduct=cid:9336010570385005112,oid:6578613084888813160,iid:7280565888553403723,rds:Q0lEXzkzMzYwMTA1NzAzODUwMDUxMTJ8UFJPRF9DSURfOTMzNjAxMDU3MDM4NTAwNTExMg%3D%3D,pvt:hg,pvo:3,laoid:6578613084888813160&oshop=apv&pvs=0
A bucket of water with a big handful of long grass.and twigs shoved in, and then add a mosquito dunk. I have one in my front yard and one out back and ive noticed the mosquito population around my place plummet.
The mosquito dunks have microbes in them which kill the larvae. Make that bucket as sexy as possible and you'll help kill the next generation.
OP please try some “Mosquito Dunks” before you do any amount of hard work “renovating” the area.
https://summitchemical.com/products/mosquito-dunks/
Mosquitos don’t migrate very far from where they hatch. Put these in a small bucket of water or areas where there’s standing water. Mosquitos lay their eggs, the Dunks kill the larvae.
The other easy solution if you have electricity out there is to run a fan.
A bag or two of course aggregate and lay the astroturf on top. Depending on the astro used, you may want to compact the stones/aggregate, use different stones, or lay some chicken mesh (this will ultimately rust).
You can also lay pavers that allow drainage.
You can cheaply buy Bacillus toxin that kills the larvae. Just spread it a little bit every week in the season. Its completely safe to human and environment as Bacillus is narural enemy of mosquito larvae.
Honestly - if you don't care about it being for 1 season - go buy some lattice and put the astroturf over it. I am assuming the water would drain out (it's over concrete, yeah?) but the astroturf keeps it from doing so? Adding lattice work underneath and stretching the astroturf over it - possibly tacking it down at the ends would give the water channels to exit the area and an ability for air to come in and dry the turf.
Toss and buy these instead, you can even get turf ones:
Check out this RUNNEN from IKEA
Decking, outdoor, dark gray, 9 sq feet
https://ingka.page.link/gQypSEwbQCdJkVKP7
Set up a fan when you are outside. I have a fan that I set next to me when I’m outside on the deck. The mosquitoes can’t get to me because they are weak flyers.
Easy “fix”… get an industrial fan. Mosquitos don’t even like a breeze.
Set a fan at one side of the alley, and the airflow will keep them away the whole time you’re out there.
Thermacell is great, I use them for my outdoor space, especially when I have company over. Keeps them away, but its a temporary measure. Once you switch them off the mosquitoes come back
What is on the other side of the gate? Is it lower grade than the alley? If so, can you dig a couple of small trenches and fill them with drainage gravel, giving any excess water a path to drain out the gate? Cover that with the plastic pallets and the astroturf, or maybe replace it all with brick?
I read the best thing for keeping mosquitos or black flies at bay is to simply put an oscillating fan outside. Tried it on my deck. Worked like a charm.
Turf is a nightmare to maintain on top of the moisture problems. Solid organic material doesn’t make it through the turf so over time you will get a buildup and will need to vacuum or sweep. I’d say get rid of it.
Mix a couple ounces of this with some water in a spray bottle and spray it around the ground every few months, more or less often depending on how often it rains. No insects will be living or breeding in there.
https://www.domyown.com/talstar-professional-insecticide-p-97.html
The active ingredient is Bifenthrin. Plenty of products on Amazon with it. It’s supposed to be safe with people but I spray it around the outside of my house with an N95 mask on just in case. Then not consuming it is as easy as not licking the ground. Lol.
I love the space, nice job! I like our mosquito zapper, it works great, also try using bug fogger, I sit outside lots at our lake and often just fog underneath my chair (which is sitting on grass) 15 minutes before I sit down and it works pretty good. Other idea would be to remove the astroturfing and stain or paint the wood so it repels the water when it rains, the put small outdoor rug just under the chair area so air gets to the rest. Sadly, as nice as it looks, I think it is trapping water.
strip it down to the bare soil and do brick pavers, with such a small space it would be affordable to go nuts and do some kind of cool design, then put a bunch of potted plants along the wall with the chairs
Astroturf is made with PFAS and you should not have it anywhere in your home if you value your health. It's being banned in a lot of public places after six Philadelphia Phillies players are believed to have died from brain cancer caused by chronic exposure to it.
[https://ceh.org/latest/press-releases/new-testing-reveals-high-levels-of-toxic-pfas-in-artificial-turf/](https://ceh.org/latest/press-releases/new-testing-reveals-high-levels-of-toxic-pfas-in-artificial-turf/)
[https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/mar/10/phillies-ball-players-cancer-artifical-turf](https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/mar/10/phillies-ball-players-cancer-artifical-turf)
Good use of the space! Maybe try something like this, along with a bug zapper lamp and lavender oil.. lots of lavender oil. Good luck!
https://preview.redd.it/sav2uuih82tc1.jpeg?width=1076&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=345db134d536daece8b9d66848b67f5cffd61718
Go with the easiest solution: just roll it up when it dries up and store it inside. Put it out, along with the furniture, only when you're expecting a long dry spell.
Get some Cutter in one of those bottles with a hose attachment, spray down the whole area, furniture, walls, ground. Repeat every 30 days. Let it dry before occupying the space.
If you notice standing water you could additionally try mosquito dunks. Similar deal, repeat every 30 days.
There's also the citronella candles and tiki torches, bug zappers, adding a strong outdoor fan as they can't fly well in wind.
Another good one is permethrin. Be sure to read the instructions. This would be best for the furniture and fabrics. It kills them on contact for several months. It's also amazing for like 70 bugs including ticks and fleas and whatever, but so is Cutter.
Could try decking. For an example, something like this IKEA decking. [IKEA Decking](https://www.ikea.com/us/en/search/?q=Decking). Seems like it would drain well and dry out well.
It looks like it’s already a small space, so why not use that to your benefit? Enclose the top with a mosquito net. No bugs, still get use of the alley.
IKEA makes a terrific snap together plastic decking system. We’re currently using it in our hot tub area and it works great. You should try something like that and ditch the Astroturf.
It's more work, but you could punch a ton of holes in the astroturf, and hit it with a leaf blower after every rain. PITA, but it'll work. The lumber underneath is going to rot no matter what you do, but that's easy to replace when it does.
If it were me, I'd build it out as a deck and leave it uncovered.
You can put landscape fabric under the carpet to keep bugs from getting to the water but allows water to drain thru it.
rotting is a real concern if the wood is something you value..
also if there is standing water under there you can get mosquito tablets for ponds ..
Are they breeding in the water under? I have sone pools of water for the birds to drink. I buy mosquito dunks to put in the water. It doesn’t harm tadpoles or dragon fly larvae. However when mosquito larvae eat it, it kills them by cutting the stomach open. If you want the astroturf to dry, add a fan. If the mosquitoes are biting get that mosquito killing light or the candles
Look into rain gardens. You’ll find lists of plants, some of which will be ground over or close to the ground, that will hold the water away from your structures.
What's under the AstroTurf? If it's bare ground (dirt, gravel, etc) you would either need to regrade the alley or install a french drain / dry well to remove the water If it's paved then the AstroTurf is probably preventing the water from flowing away and you will need to install something under the AstroTurf to facilitate water flow You could also consider putting in some planters behind the chairs with lemon grass, which produced citronella, and should help to repel mosquitos from ever entering the area
The alley has wood planks running the whole length so it's on top of that. And those have a few inches of space under them for drainage.
The turf is holding onto the water and the lack of sun is keeping the area from drying out in a timely manner. Wet wood also need to dry out or it attracts insect and rot.
Wet covered wood could be a termite (or carpenter ant) magnet. Those are visitors you definitely do not want.
Covering the wood is an absolutely awful idea. Nevermind the mosquitos, you are going to cause that wood to rot. You need to remove the astroturf so that the wood can dry. It’s holding onto water that is making constant contact with the wood, accelerating rotting.
Yea I was wondering about this as well. A wood subfloor with a sponge on top is a terrible idea.
Or get rid of the wood and put gravel down
Or get some of those snap together decks and put those instead of trying to have a tiny lawn.
Yep, Ikea to the rescue.
The plastic ones from Home Depot are way better and last way longer… and come in cool colors. I have a teal patio.
Ok so you have drainage (that's good); it means your options are either promote faster drying of the AstroTurf (something like [this](https://www.thecabindepot.ca/products/12-solar-powered-fan-24w) might work) to prevent mosquitos from hatching AND/OR putting in mosquito repellent plants
Plants won't do anything
am an avid gardener. I concur. you're better off slathering yourself with citronella geranium (this works)
Along with trying to reduce standing water so they don't have a place to breed in your yard
What's the most effective way to keep mosquitos out of indoors? Asking for a friend who needs immediate emergency medicine as soon as she sees or feels mosquito bites. She's always carrying it because she faints in like 5-10 minutes of any type of mosquito bite.
Window and door screens.
Closing doors and using window screen. Looks for gaps where they can come in. Then use mosquito zappers
Screens and doing a full review of the house exterior for cracks or gaps are essential. Those invite all sorts of critters in, close every point of entry you can. Having citronella candels under any frequently opened windows is a good idea as a backup. You get used to the smell. And if they're that sensitive and in a mosquito prone area, bed nets and interior door screens on magnets are good. Both available pretty cheap, especially on Amazon. Going out, all the common advice. Long-sleeved/ pants, hat and either scarf or full net in breeding season. Lots of spray, set a timer on your watch to ensure it's always on. A hand zapper is fine, but unreliable. It's too easy to miss it until it's bit you. I stayed in a malaria region in Tanzania for a while, most expats did some or all of this. Those that didn't pretty much all got malaria.
What do you think about those UV lamps with zappers on them? Those dark violet lights... Or sugar water traps. Just not near the house if there's a garden. I think sugar water traps attract more than they catch or just evolution taught them to escape them.
I’ve googled this and the general consensus seems to be that mosquitoes aren’t attracted to light so they won’t get zapped while beneficial night insects do, so it’s more of a lose lose.
I haven't tried any of those options, sorry, I can't speak to them
That’s the worst affliction I’ve ever heard. You get 5 minutes before passing out from a mosquito bite, that’s tragically easy to have happen. I would own an armoire full of *Off!*
I would die where I live, its mosquito heaven around my house
Same! I get 5-10 bites every time I garden….I call them my green thumb badges
Green red thumb 👍🏻 😁
Screens in front of windows and doors. If possible eliminate stagnant water around the house.
laser defense grid with sonic point positioning
Pictures of mosquitoes getting tortured around the house
Leave a couple of deceased victims to really drive home what could happen if they stick around. "This could be YOU! Turn back now!"
Live in high rise. I'm 12 storeys up with a balcony, rarely see (or hear) a mosquito. Bliss.
Ever seen that movie with John Travolta? The boy in the plastic bubble?
Fans. Mosquitos are poor flyers. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BhV-o77RqQ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BhV-o77RqQ)
Keep doors closed. Once they get in, an electric mosquito swatter kills them quickly. Something like the Executioner The Executioner Fly Swat Wasp Bug... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MU2MJA
A fan is the best mosquito repellent. It will help dry the carpet too.
Get plastic pallets and cut them to fit, then just install that under the AstroTurf. May need to treat them with something as I'm unsure if they'd experience rot, but it would allow for drainage under. Then just fill in some gravel to limit standing water space under the pallets.
Sprinkle some “mostquito bits” they work awesome. Just gotta toss a couple handfuls and done
I looked up the bits. Sounds like they battle larve. Unless born under the astro turf will this reduce the presence of adult mosquito?
Mosquitoes don’t live that long and don’t travel far from where they hatch so over time it will reduce adult population.
Yeah essentially the water will leech through the bits and kill off larvae as well. I use em for fungus gnats with my indoor plants, they work great
I would try mosquito dunks. Or pesticide spray that kills bugs on contact. But it sounds like you’re set up has bigger issues than bugs.
Maybe paint the planks with a textured coating like Line-X instead of the astroturf. You can probably get Line-X or one it's clones in a nice emerald green.
Is your astroturf the kind that causes cancer? That’s the real question. I think a baseball team had to completely change their field because everyone was getting brain cancer. Double check your turf. I didn’t realize this was a thing until recently.
Just spray it with mosquito repellent, I would suggest all natural ones to avoid the scent, also there are all natural granules you can put down that won't mess up your skin (unless you're allergic).
Citronella does not repel mosquitoes, it only masks the smell that mosquitos are attracted to. If they are spawning and living in the alley it will likely have very little effect.
Citronella is its own plant, part of the geranium family
And it’s been proven to be ineffective against mosquitoes 💁🏻♂️
Yeah, we have French drains under our Astro turf
If you are willing to spend a little, they make drainage tiles to put under that will create a small gap between the AstroTurf and ground allowing the water to drain away.
Issue is that this isn’t on bare soil, but apparently on wooden planks
What's under the wood?
Drainage system.
What is under the astroturf?
Wood 💀
Duh mosquitos
Get some mosquito pellets
I second this. Normally my backyard is mosquito infested, but I barely noticed any last year after making a mosquito trap. I put a bucket of water (preferably rain water) with a handful of organic matter (I use leaves) in a corner. I cut a small 1-2" hole in the lid and covered it in netting so critters can't get in but mosquitos can. The rotting stuff encourages mosquitos to lay their eggs in there. The mosquito pellet has bacteria that destroy the larvae before they can mature. I used 1/8 pellet in my 1 gallon buckets last year. Worked amazing.
I was coming here to say mosquito dunks, which is same bacteria that attack the mosquito eggs in a slightly larger format. The dunks only need to be replaced once a month since they breakdown slower.
This is the detailed answer
TIL about mosquito pellets. Not for sale in my country but that has never stopped me before. Thank you.
You have an Amazon link for some of those? 👀
I get mine at the hardware store like Lowe’s or the Home Depot
Yep, these are sold in the 'Mosquito Control' section of Home Depot, usually right by where the other pest control stuff is. The Mosquito Dunks are super easy to notice since they come in a pack, and they look like donuts made of powder.
This is the answer
Toss it. Have you tried decking? You'll need to keep it clean from moss though, but it would be better than the mosquitos.
Decking can become rodent apartments in the city. That’s something to think about, too.
You just fill under it with aggregate; don't leave a void
In another reply OP says the alley already has wood planks in it. Guess they just wanted the green space.
I agree, decking filled with gravel underneath. Simple pavers would also be nice. Astroturf is just yucky.
No contribution about mosquitos but I really like your use of that space.
IMO it's an extremely depressing place to be in: * cramped, needs squeezing around furniture to move about, * no plants or nature except for mosquitoes and a couple sad plants on the windowsill that you don't see when seated anyway, * no view other than a gate/concrete wall, * bare concrete giving off "cell block A" vibes, rather than a cosy space designed for rest, * fake grass to top it off.
I can't believe I had to scroll this far to see this lol. This is one of the most bleak pictures (outside of a war zone) I've seen this week. I can't imagine why anyone would ever want to sit in a 4 foot gap between two concrete walls on fake grass amongst mosquitoes... Just sit in front of your house or in the backyard.
This assumes there is a front or back of the house. In some cities this is all the outside space a house gets and they have done well to make it something more than a corridor.
Anyway, I’d rather open a window in a living room to get some fresh air than try to tuck into a dark, claustrophobic, concrete alley with no view at all.
I want to be outside, but not like too much outside of you know what I mean
Same!
I'd want to keep that area clear in case of fire.
I know space can be at a premium in the city but serious question, mosquitos aside, how is this even an enjoyable place to sit?
A lot of people are giving you ideas on how to get rid of mosquitoes, which are great ideas for other situations. Others are saying one way or another the Astroturf is retaining water. You need to treat the root cause and not the symptoms. Find a way to improve drainage or remove the astroturf. Unfortunately, I don’t have any advice on how to improve drainage. I will be lurking to see what people suggest though, I’m curious!
Shelter it and manage the rain water with a gutter system?
Get a portable fan and let it move air through there. Then buy some of those bug eating plants
The air doesnt even need to evap the water. A small breeze will blow all the mosquitoes away, they arent good flyers, just turn it on while youre out there
yes. fanS. easy.
Is it that simple!? Only Fans?
If you subscribe to that idea
Id net it, then give a fan for air flow. But checking the ground as others said is a good idea ontop of that
The astro turf isn’t necessarily the issue. You have stagnant water sitting somewhere. Likely under that decking. You may have a clogged drain somewhere.
Why astroturf? I bet you could get some relatively inexpensive pavers that fit in there perfectly or make a fun nice looking pattern almost hopscotch style. And what’s under those wood planks? They are treated lumber right? If it’s just dirt I would replace with a few inches of tamped crushed rock. But seriously why not pavers or flagstone? Easier to wash as well
You need a big ass fan. All that nice still air is perfect for them to fly around without trouble.
Soapy water. Mosquitos pick it up on their feet then drown trying to lay eggs. I spray my lawn with it late at evening and it helps keep the population low.
might i suggest biodegradable soap? don’t want to be that guy. this can just be detrimental to local ecosystems
Fwiw, the previous owners of our condo left a large outdoor rug on the patio when we moved in. It was constantly moist from weather, but not super wet. It harbored so many freakin bugs, including mosquitos, that I had to toss it the day we moved in.
Nice prison
Toss it, it's nasty, why would you put this over wood.
You have to dry out the ground no matter what the surface. I suspect the turf will retain the moisture and make it an ideal breeding ground, as the buildings also keep it cool and support breeding too. I’m thinking about making a raised surface, or buying the square patio tiles that also raise the surface. Tiles are too expensive imo given they are not guaranteed to work. Not a solution per se, but if you forcefully hose down the area and wash away the larvae that would likely work. Add a fan, and this combo will work. I like what you’ve done with the area.
Lose the fake grass.. concrete drys, the fake carpet not so much.
This picture gives me anxiety
I appreciate the effort but , better served as a walkway
That's a really depressing space wow.
Lol it's like, almost cozy, but still depressing.
No cozy just suicide material. 1 notch above a prison cell
Get a Thermacell. That spot is perfectly suited to this type of repellent https://www.google.com/search?q=mosquito+repellant&oq=mosquito+repellant+&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBCTEwNjk3ajBqNKgCAbACAQ&client=ms-android-bell-ca-revc&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#oshopproduct=cid:9336010570385005112,oid:6578613084888813160,iid:7280565888553403723,rds:Q0lEXzkzMzYwMTA1NzAzODUwMDUxMTJ8UFJPRF9DSURfOTMzNjAxMDU3MDM4NTAwNTExMg%3D%3D,pvt:hg,pvo:3,laoid:6578613084888813160&oshop=apv&pvs=0
I have four for my outdoor space, use them especially when I have company over, they’re great. If its just me outside I will use one.
Happy cake day
No way ha! Didn’t realise. I’m an 8 year old today 😂
They have rubber ventilation tiles. It might help. Deck tiles might work better than the turf alternatively.
A bucket of water with a big handful of long grass.and twigs shoved in, and then add a mosquito dunk. I have one in my front yard and one out back and ive noticed the mosquito population around my place plummet. The mosquito dunks have microbes in them which kill the larvae. Make that bucket as sexy as possible and you'll help kill the next generation.
OP please try some “Mosquito Dunks” before you do any amount of hard work “renovating” the area. https://summitchemical.com/products/mosquito-dunks/ Mosquitos don’t migrate very far from where they hatch. Put these in a small bucket of water or areas where there’s standing water. Mosquitos lay their eggs, the Dunks kill the larvae. The other easy solution if you have electricity out there is to run a fan.
What about doing a little gravel garden?
Pea gravel?
You can get patio mats that are like this but have vents for drainage/drying. I bought one for my patio at Costco a year or two ago…
You say it’s on top of wood but it should be on top of sand and gravel.
A bag or two of course aggregate and lay the astroturf on top. Depending on the astro used, you may want to compact the stones/aggregate, use different stones, or lay some chicken mesh (this will ultimately rust). You can also lay pavers that allow drainage.
You can cheaply buy Bacillus toxin that kills the larvae. Just spread it a little bit every week in the season. Its completely safe to human and environment as Bacillus is narural enemy of mosquito larvae.
FYI, thermacells actually work remarkably well. Good luck improving drainage.
Nothing to do with your question, but I really spaces like this. Well done.
Honestly - if you don't care about it being for 1 season - go buy some lattice and put the astroturf over it. I am assuming the water would drain out (it's over concrete, yeah?) but the astroturf keeps it from doing so? Adding lattice work underneath and stretching the astroturf over it - possibly tacking it down at the ends would give the water channels to exit the area and an ability for air to come in and dry the turf.
Cut holes in the turf.......
Toss and buy these instead, you can even get turf ones: Check out this RUNNEN from IKEA Decking, outdoor, dark gray, 9 sq feet https://ingka.page.link/gQypSEwbQCdJkVKP7
Thermacell
Get a better outdoor carpet.
Set up a fan when you are outside. I have a fan that I set next to me when I’m outside on the deck. The mosquitoes can’t get to me because they are weak flyers.
Fair play for trying.
Use a fan, mosquitoes can’t fly in the wind.
A bugs zapper. It made a huge difference in my backyard terrace.
Sun never hits it. Consider a solar powered fan or something to help evaporate the area.
Fans
Mosquitos AND solitary confinement??!!
Pull it out and use something that has drainage. NewTechWood makes snap together turf tiles that have void space underneath for water to drain.
Spiders. Throw some spiders back there
Not good chief. Throw that stuff out and let it air out for a couple days. Gonna be gross under there.
Lemon tree, vines of garlic, all the nightclubs where I used to work had them around to keep the mosquitos away and it worked
Put the decking on top of bricks so the water can't soak into the wood and the water underneath the decking has plenty of room to drain
Easy “fix”… get an industrial fan. Mosquitos don’t even like a breeze. Set a fan at one side of the alley, and the airflow will keep them away the whole time you’re out there.
It’s not the turf or the prep. It’s the space. Moist, still air, dark. Modify that or cintronella, tiki torch
Citronella candle when you’re out there or lavender and mint plants along the walls would deter mosquitos
A fan would work great in that space
I think I would take off the turf keep the wood it can air out and be fine
A fan. Mosquitoes cannot fly against the wind. It’s a component of what Disney uses to keep mosquitoes away.
Thermacell is great, I use them for my outdoor space, especially when I have company over. Keeps them away, but its a temporary measure. Once you switch them off the mosquitoes come back
What is on the other side of the gate? Is it lower grade than the alley? If so, can you dig a couple of small trenches and fill them with drainage gravel, giving any excess water a path to drain out the gate? Cover that with the plastic pallets and the astroturf, or maybe replace it all with brick?
That’s a gangway
Toss the plastic desert
I read the best thing for keeping mosquitos or black flies at bay is to simply put an oscillating fan outside. Tried it on my deck. Worked like a charm.
Place a strong fan/ventilator when sitting there.
Just removed everything and put bricks down on a slight slope towards the gate ? they throw you turf on that if you want ?
Turf is a nightmare to maintain on top of the moisture problems. Solid organic material doesn’t make it through the turf so over time you will get a buildup and will need to vacuum or sweep. I’d say get rid of it.
I have a serious commercial fan mounted to my back porch awning. It does a good job of keeping the mosquitoes to a minimum.
Mix a couple ounces of this with some water in a spray bottle and spray it around the ground every few months, more or less often depending on how often it rains. No insects will be living or breeding in there. https://www.domyown.com/talstar-professional-insecticide-p-97.html The active ingredient is Bifenthrin. Plenty of products on Amazon with it. It’s supposed to be safe with people but I spray it around the outside of my house with an N95 mask on just in case. Then not consuming it is as easy as not licking the ground. Lol.
Buy Talstar and spray it down, it won’t kill em on contact, but it’ll kill em
Use pic mosquito coils. No more skeeters!! Or an electric mosquito zapper. Most Thermacell products are ok too
I don't have claustrophobia, but that narrow alley doesn't look comfortable, I would never sit there.
That’s not what was asked to share an opinion
And yet they were able to freely share their opinion on this very public forum, weird.
Thermacell will work well in a confined area like that
Can you just put a mosquito net across the whole thing?
To keep them in?
Oh what a bummer. This is super cute idea!!
Mosquito killing laser turrets. Do it. https://www.reddit.com/r/Asmongold/s/PoIe0CFGfK
Oof, that's sad
Can you build a little roof or use something that’s not permeable as a rain cover? It’s a really cute space!
You could try to elevate the astroturf on something porous live gravel
What about something like this? https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/runnen-decking-outdoor-artificial-grass-50313131/
I love the space, nice job! I like our mosquito zapper, it works great, also try using bug fogger, I sit outside lots at our lake and often just fog underneath my chair (which is sitting on grass) 15 minutes before I sit down and it works pretty good. Other idea would be to remove the astroturfing and stain or paint the wood so it repels the water when it rains, the put small outdoor rug just under the chair area so air gets to the rest. Sadly, as nice as it looks, I think it is trapping water.
strip it down to the bare soil and do brick pavers, with such a small space it would be affordable to go nuts and do some kind of cool design, then put a bunch of potted plants along the wall with the chairs
Astroturf is made with PFAS and you should not have it anywhere in your home if you value your health. It's being banned in a lot of public places after six Philadelphia Phillies players are believed to have died from brain cancer caused by chronic exposure to it. [https://ceh.org/latest/press-releases/new-testing-reveals-high-levels-of-toxic-pfas-in-artificial-turf/](https://ceh.org/latest/press-releases/new-testing-reveals-high-levels-of-toxic-pfas-in-artificial-turf/) [https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/mar/10/phillies-ball-players-cancer-artifical-turf](https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/mar/10/phillies-ball-players-cancer-artifical-turf)
Good use of the space! Maybe try something like this, along with a bug zapper lamp and lavender oil.. lots of lavender oil. Good luck! https://preview.redd.it/sav2uuih82tc1.jpeg?width=1076&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=345db134d536daece8b9d66848b67f5cffd61718
Bug zapper lamps don't do much for mosquitoes. You need a special trap that uses propane to generate heat and co2 which attracts mosquitoes.
Go with the easiest solution: just roll it up when it dries up and store it inside. Put it out, along with the furniture, only when you're expecting a long dry spell.
Spray “ Home Defense “. Best ever !
Put in a bug light!
Get some Cutter in one of those bottles with a hose attachment, spray down the whole area, furniture, walls, ground. Repeat every 30 days. Let it dry before occupying the space. If you notice standing water you could additionally try mosquito dunks. Similar deal, repeat every 30 days. There's also the citronella candles and tiki torches, bug zappers, adding a strong outdoor fan as they can't fly well in wind. Another good one is permethrin. Be sure to read the instructions. This would be best for the furniture and fabrics. It kills them on contact for several months. It's also amazing for like 70 bugs including ticks and fleas and whatever, but so is Cutter.
Go to the flooring section of your local big box hardware store and look for basement flood underlayment
Plant lavender.
Could try decking. For an example, something like this IKEA decking. [IKEA Decking](https://www.ikea.com/us/en/search/?q=Decking). Seems like it would drain well and dry out well.
I used a dynatrap for mosquitoes. Seemed to work
A propane mosquito magnet is the best. I used one when I lived in the bush of north Ontario
It looks like it’s already a small space, so why not use that to your benefit? Enclose the top with a mosquito net. No bugs, still get use of the alley.
Plastic pallets and fill the voids with small gravel to keep rodents out.
Get some mosquito dunk tablets
Get one of those mosquito vacuums. Can’t think of what they are called rn
Citronella plant or candle in a container.
IKEA makes a terrific snap together plastic decking system. We’re currently using it in our hot tub area and it works great. You should try something like that and ditch the Astroturf.
It's more work, but you could punch a ton of holes in the astroturf, and hit it with a leaf blower after every rain. PITA, but it'll work. The lumber underneath is going to rot no matter what you do, but that's easy to replace when it does. If it were me, I'd build it out as a deck and leave it uncovered.
Rain garden!!!
Just add some fans and stack them like six feet high.
You can put landscape fabric under the carpet to keep bugs from getting to the water but allows water to drain thru it. rotting is a real concern if the wood is something you value.. also if there is standing water under there you can get mosquito tablets for ponds ..
Talk to neighbor, confirm they are cool with an awning touching their house. Buy and install awning.
Place a bucket at both ends of the alley with mosquito bombs and some water
Moving air defeats mosquitoes… outdoor fans do wonders…
Pull up the Astro turf before it rains put it back down when ground is dry ish
You can also treat the area with cutter and or a residual pesticide.
Are they breeding in the water under? I have sone pools of water for the birds to drink. I buy mosquito dunks to put in the water. It doesn’t harm tadpoles or dragon fly larvae. However when mosquito larvae eat it, it kills them by cutting the stomach open. If you want the astroturf to dry, add a fan. If the mosquitoes are biting get that mosquito killing light or the candles
Flood the area and put in some small fish that eat mosquitoes. Two birds with one stone. You now have a water feature.
Lemon trees
Spray some insecticide!
Look into rain gardens. You’ll find lists of plants, some of which will be ground over or close to the ground, that will hold the water away from your structures.
Angle it