Shea Simmons
First, there were cicadas, now the ticks have arrived. Unlike those noisy swarms of cicadas, though, there’s a way to keep ticks out of your yard.
It’s not just people who live in wooded areas or have pets that have to deal with ticks in the summer. The pesky creatures can occupy any shady places or areas where the grass and/or are high.
So, yes, that most likely includes your yard. Luckily, though, with some mulch and essential oils, you can keep them at bay.
David Price, an entomologist for Mosquito Joe, told Well + Good that you can stop (or, at least, reduce) the tick migration into your yard by creating a band of mulch or gravel between your yard and any wooded or overgrown areas along the outskirts.
The band should be about three feet, and for extra protection, you can add essential oils.
“Use products that offer a blend of essential oils, particularly containing geraniol and/or Virginian cedarwood oil targeting ticks at the wood line,” Price said. “Many of these products have shown promise in either repelling or killing a portion of the population.”
Of course, the other solution is to just keep your yard well-manicured. Price recommends cutting your lawn and trimming back grass, small trees, and bushes back so there are no hospitable places for ticks to live.
If you’ve also got a lot of wasps and bees around your home, try this repellent you can make with two things you probably have in your kitchen.
[Via Well + Good]
