Dealing with Mosquitoes and Reading the Landscape | Permaculture Q&A

Geoff answers questions that have been structured around specific themes, starting with two common concerns about permaculture design: dealing with mosquitoes and reading the landscape.

How do we deal with mosquitoes with so much standing water? Mosquitoes do breed in water, but the larvae have to wriggle up and down to get air at the surface. That makes them perfect fish food. They won’t survive where fish is in water. The ideal spot for mosquitoes is too small for fish, something more like a muddy hoof print or little saucers under plant pots. Deal with those small bodies of water and the mosquito population will be greatly reduced. You can also design in other mosquito predators: bats, birds, frogs, lizards, and dragonflies. Favor the predator and disfavor the pests.

What exactly is contour planning? Contour is a level line in landscape, and following it helps us harmonize with the land. Water can be the most destructive or most creative component of a landscape. Designing on contour pacifies water flows and spreads it, slowing down energy to soak it gently into the landscape. Life, then, thrives. One (contour) swale on Zaytuna Farm connects four dams so that, in a rain event, the water is even distributed and, afterwards, the moisture in the swale soaks into the landscape. Swales on contour also make easy walking because they are flat and level. The advantages of working on contour can also be applied to vegetable gardens, roads and other elements to get better results from our design.

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