Members of the arachnid family, ticks are parasitic pests that are quick to catch a ride on hair, clothes, or a pet’s fur. Once there, the tiny tick takes its meals by sucking blood from its host. Time spent in the backyard risks bites from these blood-sucking bugs. Or worse, catching a dangerous disease that they can carry. It’s time to take back your yard and repel ticks with these natural methods.

Keep up on Yard Work

Ticks prefer moist shaded conditions. By cutting back tree branches and shrubs, you’ll let more light in and keep your yard drier. Mow regularly, too. Overgrown areas and tall grasses are great hideouts for these blood-sucking bugs.

Tidy up to Avoid Ticks

Give your yard a good cleaning to repel ticks. This includes removing anything that makes a good hiding place for bugs, like old furniture, toys, debris, and layers of leaves that need to be raked. Stack your firewood neatly in a dry area that’s not adjacent to the outside of your home. And because these bugs love moist environments, repair any drainage issues where water puddles in the yard.

Build Bug Barriers

Fence your yard to keep out wildlife like deer and foxes that often host ticks. Also, get rid of bird feeders or pet food that attracts animals. These parasitic pests are prima donnas. They won’t cross wood chips, pebbles, or gravel for fear of irritating their feet. Build a barrier around your yard using one of these materials to make it a tick-free zone. The smell of cedar chips naturally repels ticks, so if you use this material to make your border it’s a double dose of prevention.

Nature’s Remedies to Repel Ticks

Certain plants and their essential oils naturally repel ticks. Lend your landscaping a lovely look that doubles as a deterrent for ticks by planting chrysanthemums, pennyroyal, rose geranium, rosemary, lemongrass, and citronella plants. Or make a mixture that repels ticks using a few drops of essential oils in a spray bottle of water. Try cedar, lavender, peppermint, and rosemary oils for some popular scents.

Call in the Cavalry

Ticks are tiny and often attach themselves in hard-to-see places like in your hair or on your armpits. Their bites don’t hurt. For these reasons, these bugs typically go unnoticed for long periods of time. This increases the likelihood of contracting illnesses like Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever. If natural methods aren’t enough to repel ticks, call Free Spray Lawn Care today at 419-529-5296. We provide a program to prevent these parasites from taking over your backyard.