It’s the time of year when you start to see those tiny brown creatures crawling out from under leaf piles and logs. These are ticks, and they’re a common problem in the Fall as they look for hosts to lay eggs on. You can protect your family by making sure that your lawn is properly cared for so it doesn’t become a breeding ground for these pests. This blog will walk you through some techniques for tick control on your property this Fall.
1. Keep Your Grass Mowed
Nobody wants to walk through tall grass, let alone allow their children to play in it. Make sure that you’re keeping your lawn trimmed so that ticks can’t hide in the tall grass. Stray blades of grass also make excellent breeding grounds for mosquitoes and ticks. Keeping the grass mowed is a great way for pest control on your lawn.
2. Keep Your Lawn Well-Watered
Ticks can’t fly, so they need a host to attach themselves and feed on blood easily. If your lawn is extremely dry or little puddles of water around, ticks will be less likely to even attempt a jump onto a passing host. Maintaining the health of your lawn will also make it more likely to repel ticks.
3. Don’t use Pesticides
The mainstream approach to kill these pests is a pesticide, but this method should be avoided as pesticides can build up in the soil and cause other problems. If you have a good amount of land around your property, try spraying with different kinds of oils to suffocate ticks.
4. Keep Brush and Leaf Piles Away From Your House
Ticks like to make nests in outdoor areas where there is lots of debris. If you have a lot of leaf or log piles around your home, try moving them as far away as possible so that ticks don’t have easy access to hosts.
5. Keep Your Pets Safe
Another way that ticks can get into your yard is by making a home on one of your furry friends. If you see a lot of ticks on your pet, it might be time to give them a good bath and brush their fur. You can also try using tick and flea sprays or powders that can be spread along your pet’s body.
6. Plant the Right Kinds of Vegetation
Ticks love woody vines and shrubs as they provide a lot of shade from the sun, keeping them cooler throughout the day. Try planting grasses instead. Not only do they keep ticks from hanging around, but they require less water too.
7. Get Your Yard Tested
If you’re finding it hard to get rid of ticks in your garden, then it might be time for professional help. You can find companies that will come out and spray your yard for ticks, but make sure to do some research first. These chemicals can harm pets and children, so make sure you’re only getting the services of a reputable company.
8. Try Using Plants That Repel Ticks
Planting marigolds, eucalyptus, and ladybugs are all effective ways to keep ticks away from your yard. They will not only help you fight off the pests, but they’re also nice additions to your garden.
9. Try Using Diatomaceous Earth
This product is made from fossilized water plants, and it can kill insects when they come in contact with it. You can sprinkle this powder around your property and garden and places where you walk frequently. It’s completely safe for people and pets; however, ticks will not be able to tell the difference, so be careful when you’re applying the powder.
10. Try Adding Plants that Attract Bees and Other Beneficial Insects
These insects help to keep your garden healthy, but they also eat ticks. They will leave behind a scent that will deter these pests from hanging around your yard, so try planting some marigolds or basil if you’d like to try this method.
11. Try Using a Biological Pesticide if None of these Methods Work for You
If the chemicals in the previous methods were too strong for your liking, then you might want to give a natural alternative a try. Some pesticides contain no harmful chemicals; rather, they use beneficial insects and bacteria to kill ticks.
12. Try Using a Tick Trap
All of these suggestions can be pretty time-consuming if you have a lot of property to take care of. If you don’t want to do all of this work, try buying or making your tick trap. This method uses dry ice to attract the ticks, and they’ll get stuck inside your trap.
13. Purchase a Natural Tick Spray or Powder
For those who would rather not have to do any work, try buying a product like EcoRaider Tick Repellent. All you have to do is spread the liquid around your yard, and it will keep ticks away for up to 10 days. The great thing about this product is that it’s completely organic and safe for kids, pets, and plants.
14. Try Using a Homemade Tick Spray
If you’re looking to make your tick repellent, try mixing up some plant-based oils with water. You can use garlic oil, lemongrass oil, lavender oil, eucalyptus oil, and cedar oil. Just mix 1 part of the liquid with four parts of water and put it into a spray bottle. You can also add in some dish soap to ensure the ticks don’t escape from your homemade mixture.
Ticks are becoming an increasingly bigger problem in the United States. They spread multiple diseases to humans and animals, so we need to do our part in getting rid of them. Thankfully, there are many ways you can keep ticks out of your yard without harming your family or pets. As long as you’re willing to put in the time, you can have a tick-free yard. Are you looking for a pest control company? Contact us today for professional help.
