What do you get when a mild winter meets an early, wet summer? Ticks galore. As the mercury climbs the ticks’ territory expands and so does the likelihood of suffering a bite. Ticks are a very real threat to gardeners and it’s time to get serious about protecting our land and those we care about from this menace. Ticks can carry a host of nasty diseases that range from mild to life-changing and should be treated with extreme caution. Here’s some things you can do to arm yourself against this pernicious parasite.
- Educate Yourself – There’s no better weapon against this enemy than knowledge. Research what kinds of creatures live in your local environment so you know whether your area is considered a high risk zone.
- Keep Deer Away – Where we see Bambi, ticks see a free lunch and a free ride into your yard. Barring deer from your surrounding area is a key step in preventing ticks from descending on your garden and home.
- Check Your Pets – If a tick makes it into your lawn its next victim will most likely be your animals. Cats and dogs that roam around outside can pick up a tick in an instant and carry it into your home. Prevent illness of your beloved pets and family by keeping them treated with high quality flea and tick repellent and apply it consistently. Ticks like to hide in places your pets cannot groom so check in the folds of your dogs ears and between their toes for the telltale signs of these bloodsuckers.
- Fight Fire with Nature – Using natural remedies is always suggested as it has a better impact on the environment. American Beauty Berry bushes have been known to repel ticks and should be incorporated into your garden whenever possible.
- Tidy up Bird Stations – while most birds will eat ticks, some are hosts for them. Don’t give these hitchhikers a chance to stick around. Make sure bird feeder and baths are standing clear of any overhanging plant foliage where these insects can latch on.
- Keep chopped wood dry and stacked neatly. Damp wood is paradise for ticks so make sure you cover it with a tarp when it rains and store it in full sun so that it stays dry and tick-free.
- A Painful Barrier – Ticks hate walking on rough, uneven surfaces so consider laying down a perimeter of gravel or some other rough loose material as a buffer between your lawn and any surrounding woods.
- No Safe Harbor – Keep grass cut low and remove any debris from your yard that a tick could call home.
- Welcome Tick Eaters – If you need another excuse besides eggs and companionship to raise chickens, here’s a fantastic one! A few chickens can keep your lawn free of ticks as well as virtually any creepy crawly that isn’t fast enough to escape those hungry beaks. Opossums also do an excellent job of defending against this parasite as they devour ticks with gusto and are generally quite harmless to any other creature. Look here for more info on the many benefits of opossums.
- Tick tubes offer a creative fix for an age old problem that is both effective and easy to do at home.