So when did White Plains adopt the same weather patterns as Seattle? On the bright side of so many gray, rainy days is that everyone's lawns and plants are looking very green and healthy. The downside, of course, is that some of us have backyard bogs, drowned plants, or standing water for all of those summer mosquitos. What to do? First, if the water is not draining at all, figure out what that water is. If you call the City of White Plains, it will send guys out to test the water to determine if it is groundwater, sewage (ew!), or drinking water (which means there's an underground pipe that's leaking. Second, determine how to drain the area or work with it. A landscape architect or engineer can help you figure out if you need a drywell, a catch basin, or a French drain. You may also find that the boggy part is ideal location for a goldfish pond (they love mosquitos) or planting flowers, shrubs or trees that love wet roots. A great May 13th NY Times article in the House & Home section lists a few, including Yellow Waxbells or Baptisia plants or Swamp Rose Mallow. There is also a tree, such as the river birch that, as its name implies, doesn't mind the water.
By the way, a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil in standing water does wonders to suffocate mosquito larvae. So while you wait for your quote on that French drain, get out the canola oil.
Mosquito info with checklist for standing water problems: https://engineering.purdue.edu/SafeWater/Ponds/mosquitoes1.htm
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