Photo: Julia Volk

Does firewood attract ticks?

Ticks love moist, cozy areas. So stack your firewood tightly and keep your stacked wood dry. When the wood gets wet, it creates an environment that is moist. Ticks gravitate to moist areas.

dengarden.com - Tips for Designing a Tick-Free Environment For Your Yard

Where do unsold Costco items go?

It's not uncommon for members to return unused merchandise to Costco. Even if the member hasn't used the item, if any portion of the packaging has...

Last updated Mar 21, 2021

Do I need gutters around my entire house?

Whether you need gutters around your entire house depends largely on the size of your house, as well as how many slopes you have dividing it....

Last updated Oct 12, 2020

Promotion

Marlene enjoys being outside. But, outdoor pests can ruin the most enjoyable moments. Marlene shares common tips to help get rid of pests. In this article, you'll learn a number of tips to keep pesky ticks out of your garden for good. Erik Karits | Unsplash

How to Keep Ticks Out of Your Yard

I live in a mountainous region of the Sierra Nevada Foothills. In the wintertime, I use a wood-burning stove to heat up the house. But the wood that I keep outside could easily be the very place ticks are likely to make their home. I also see a lot of deer and rodents that ticks like to leach onto. So I must take precautions to keep my environment free from ticks and the animals that are likely to transport ticks to my yard. This article will provide you with the following advice and tips for keeping your home and yard free from ticks:

Keep stacked wood dry

Keep your yard clean and well-maintained

Keep your yard free of deer and rodents

Plant certain herbs, shrubs, hedges, flowers, and trees

Use natural, citrus-based spray repellants

Be mindful of where ticks like to nest

Enjoy the outdoors in a tick-free environment.

Create an Environment to Keep Ticks Away

Ticks are more than a mere nuisance. Their bites can cause diseases in humans and pets. The most prevalent-known diseases are Rocky Mountain Fever and Lyme disease. The best way to get rid of ticks in your yard is to get rid of the areas they like to live. Ticks thrive in dark, moist areas. So you want to make sure you don’t provide a place for them to live.

Tightly stacked firewood.

Keep Stacked Wood Dry

Ticks love moist, cozy areas. So stack your firewood tightly and keep your stacked wood dry. When the wood gets wet, it creates an environment that is moist. Ticks gravitate to moist areas. As best as you can, place your stacked wood bins in a dry place or keep it covered, so that rain cannot soak in and create that moist, shady environment where ticks will thrive. Racking leaves to keep ticks from settling under the dark moist areas provided by leaves.

Keep Your Yard Clean and Well-Maintained

Ticks also love dark areas. So keep your yard clean and clear of heavy brush and dead leaves on the ground. Piles of leaves make an attractive home for ticks. If the area is also moist, it will be especially attractive to ticks. Keep your lawn well mowed. Rake up the grass clippings, or use a mower that collects them. These grass clippings leave a dense area under which ticks can make their home. As with raking up the grass clippings, be sure to rake up any fallen leaves. Also, keep your lawn and garden area well drained. Remember, ticks like moist areas, and letting water sit on top of the lawn or garden soil will be a big attraction for them.

Deer and other animals can track ticks into your yard.

Ticks Attach Themselves to Deer, Rodents, and Other Animals

Ticks travel on animals such as deer, mice, and other rodents. They will also latch themselves onto humans. So, keep your yard free of these animals and critters. Ticks are parasites. Parasites feed on other animals. They latch onto the skin of humans and animals and then suck out their blood.

Ticks live out their lives in three stages:

Stage 1: Larva—Larva are the eggs laid by an adult female tick in the spring and summer. These eggs hatch into larvae in the late summer. They stay on the ground until an animal or bird brushes up against them. They then latch onto the host, and begin feeding over a period of a few days as they swell up with blood. Stage 2: Nymph—After feeding, larvae drop off of their host and go through a process in the fall called molting. During this time of year, larvae transform into nymphs. During the winter to early spring months, nymphs are inactive. It is not until May that they become active. They latch onto a host and feed for about four to five days until they become engorged. This is the stage when—if in the larva stage the larva was infected with a disease (such as Lyme)—they will transfer it to the host. Nymphs may also contract the disease if the host itself has the disease and the Nymphs bite into the host to draw blood. Stage 3: Adult—After feeding on the host, nymphs drop off the host and into leaf piles, where they molt into an adult. During the late October to early November months, adult ticks seek their hosts by waiting above the ground, on top of tall grass or leaf tips until a host rubs up against them. They latch onto the host, bite into them, and then the feeding begins. Plants strategically placed can help repel ticks and the animals that carry them.

Do plastic sheds need a foundation?

The only time you wouldn't need some sort of foundation is if you have a very small 6×6 or 8×8 shed that is made out of rubber or plastic. And even...

Last updated Feb 13, 2021

How deep should a foundation be for a shed?

Large shed footings should extend 12” below the frost line (meaning a depth of 24”, 36”, 48”, or more depending on the local climate). Dec 17, 2021

Last updated May 12, 2020

Promotion

Landscape Your Yard to Keep Deer and Rodents Out of Your Yard

The easiest way to provide a deterrent is to landscape your yard with vegetation that the deer, rodents, and ticks do not like. Both ticks, deer, and rodents do not like strong-scented plants. So your best success will come from surrounding your yard with the plants that they have a tendency to stay away from. Herbs, Vegetables, Hedges, Shrubs, and Trees to Keep Ticks Out of Your Yard There are a variety of plants that are not well-liked by ticks and tick-harboring animals. Choose from a wide selection of herbs, flowers, trees, and ground covers to help create a beautiful yard that is less prone to harboring ticks.

Plants, Flowers, and Ground Cover to Keep Ticks Out of Your Yard

Plants/Flowers Ground Cover Allegheny Spurge Barrenwort Basket-of-Gold Bugleweed Berginia Creeping Juniper Black-eyed Susan Deadnettle Bleeding Heart Ferns Bluebeard Japanese Spurge Citronella Lady's Mantle Daffodil Lily Turf Dwarf Aster Lily-of-the-Valley Eucalyptus Lungwort Fleabane Daisy Mosses Foxglove Periwinkle Geranium Potentilla Hyacinth Snow-in-Summer Ironwood Sweet Woodruff Japanese Plum Yew Vinca Lamb's Ears Violet Larkspur Wild Ginger Lavender Marigold Moonflower Oriental Poppy Pennyroyal Petunia Poppy Snapdragon Squill Sunflower Tansy Wood Fern Yarrow

Natural, Citrus-Based Spray Repellent to Ward Off Ticks in Your Yard

While chemical-laden products exist on the market and are very good at keeping ticks at bay, I encourage you to try a natural approach to keeping ticks out of your yard. Ticks do not like the scent of citrus and tend to stay away from places where this scent exists. Try the following citrus-based spray that is easy to make and can be sprayed around your yard and on yourself.

Ingredients:

2 cups water

2 lemons, chopped (can substitute limes, oranges, or grapefruit)

16 oz spray bottle

Directions:

Boil water. Add citrus of your choice. Bring back to a boil for one minute. Simmer for one hour. Strain out the fruit. Let the liquid cool. Pour into the sprayer. Spray where you want to repel ticks. You can safely spray on you, your family, your pets, your garden, and your lawn. Remember, ticks like to nest in dark, moist environments. Ticks attach themselves to deer and rodents. Keeping your yard and your garden free of ticks mean keeping your yard and garden clean, well-maintained, and well-drained.

How to Check Yourself for Ticks

Consumer Reports Tests Found Insect Repellents That Are Safer, More Effective Than Some Deet Products. (2015, May 13). Retrieved June 12, 2019, from https://www.consumerreports.org/media-room/press-releases/2015/05/my-entry-1/ Larson, Richard, A. (2001, December 1). Deer-Resistant Plants: Shrubs and Trees for the Deer-Plagued Gardener. Retrieved June 12, 019, from https://www.bbg.org/gardening/article/deer-resistant Lee, M. Y. (2018, October 02). Essential Oils as Repellents against Arthropods. Retrieved June, 2019, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6189689/ Natural Tick Repellents and Pesticides | Lyme Disease | CDC. (n.d.). Retrieved June 12, 2019, from https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/prev/natural-repellents.html Nootkatone: Research and development of an all-natural plant compound to help fight ticks, mosquitoes, and other insects. (n.d.). Retrieved June 12, 2019, from https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/resources/NOOKATONE.pdf

Plants not favored by deer. (n.d.). Retrieved June 12, 2019, from https://www.mortonarb.org/trees-plants/tree-and-plant-advice/horticulture-care/plants-not-favored-deer

Sellmer, J., Sellmer, J., Bates, R., & Julian, G. S. (2019, June 05). Ornamentals and Deer: Realities and Landscape Plant Options. Retrieved June 12, 2019, from https://extension.psu.edu/ornamentals-and-deer-realities-and-landscape-plant-options This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2019 Marlene Bertrand

Marlene Bertrand (author) from USA on February 06, 2020:

Hi Devika, I am doing well and hope you are doing very well, especially with keeping ticks out of your yard. If bitten by a tick, it can create serious problems. Stay safe, my friend.

Devika Primic on February 04, 2020:

Hi Marlene it is an important hub to any homeowner. Information such as this is useful and enlightens me on keeping ticks away from my home. I hope you are well

Marlene Bertrand (author) from USA on August 09, 2019:

Hello Lorelei Cohen! Yes, something as simple as citrus can help curtail these pesky bugs. I am starting to surround and intersperse citrus-type plants all around my property in an effort to keep them away from me.

Lorelei Cohen from Canada on August 09, 2019:

I live in western Canada and the ticks that carry lime disease are slowly moving into our neighbourhood. It is sad to see that this small parasite cannot be annihilated as they certainly do pose such great harm to humans and wildlife. Thank you for the tips. I had no idea citrus could help prevent tic bites.

Marlene Bertrand (author) from USA on July 18, 2019:

Hello H C Palting. Yes, ticks are causing quite a problem. So, I do hope these tips are a start to solving the problem with annoying ticks.

H C Palting from East Coast on July 17, 2019:

Should I wrap paper bubble wrap or glass?

Bubble wrap is fantastic for protection. But if left in direct contact with glass items it can potentially leave circular pattern marks that are...

Last updated Jul 18, 2021

Is a shed roof cheaper than a gable roof?

Is a single-pitch roof cheaper? Yes, a single pitch roof is cheaper compared to other types of roofs because the shed used in such roofs uses only...

Last updated Aug 9, 2020

Promotion

Very informative and useful post. Tick-borne disease is on the rise and can alter one's life for the worse. You have shared good information to help stay safe at home.

Marlene Bertrand (author) from USA on June 17, 2019:

RTalloni, thank you very much for your feedback on this subject. Each year, I hear a number of stories of how people picked up Lyme disease and their lives have suffered tremendously for it. Ticks are out there and they don't play around. I absolutely love where I live and when I first moved here about a year ago, the deer were prevalent. They were so cute and adorable, but when I looked closely at them I could see they had lesions and the locals warned me that the deer also carry lots of ticks. People around here talk plenty about what to plant to keep the deer away. It's working. Last year the deer would walk through our yard every morning and evening. Now, after planting several plants around the yard, I have not seen a single deer in at least three months.

RTalloni on June 17, 2019:

Such important and useful info. Using it as a springboard to research what works best in their own region is a real opportunity for people. Anyone who has had or knows anyone who's had Rocky Mountain Spotted fever or Lyme's knows the horror story of either one and how important it is to keep squirrels and other rodents away, as well as larger animals. Nature has it beauties, but its dangers are real and becoming more prevalent. I've wondered if it will take a real plague to wake people up on the issues.

Marlene Bertrand (author) from USA on June 14, 2019:

Hello JanMaklak. I also have some of these plants and I don't have nearly the tick infestation that many people in this area experience. Having someone like you mention your experience with plants and how helpful they have been for you, provides a valuable statement of validation. Thank you very much.

JanMaklak from Canada on June 14, 2019:

Hi Marie: What a great article. I have a good size yard and have several plants you mention. It does seem to work. As more municipalities and other governments implement pesticide bans the problems with ticks and other disease-spreading insects will increase.

What you have published here will help with many homeowners

Marlene Bertrand (author) from USA on June 14, 2019:

Hello Readmikenow. Thank you for your kind and encouraging words. I am very glad you enjoyed the article and I hope it helps you and your loved ones stay tick-free. Have a beautiful weekend.

Marlene Bertrand (author) from USA on June 14, 2019:

Good morning Bill. I imagine your region of the world is loaded with ticks. All the rain you get provides the dense environment they love. I'm glad you were able to find and remove the ticks from Maggie and that they did not infect her with their bites. Have a wonderful tick-free weekend.

Marlene Bertrand (author) from USA on June 14, 2019:

Hello Eric! Well, let me just say you are so fortunate to live in a place where ticks are not a problem. We definitely see our fair share of them in our region. Have a wonderful tick-free weekend.

Marlene Bertrand (author) from USA on June 14, 2019:

Hello Miebakagh Fiberesima. Thank you for your feedback and I would be interested in reading more about your stronger solution for repelling mosquitoes. I have some solutions that I currently use, but I am always searching for alternatives that might work better. Excellent article. It has a lot of good information. I enjoyed reading it.

Bill Holland from Olympia, WA on June 14, 2019:

They are nasty for sure...great information...Olympia has had an infestation of them this year and last. Maggie picked up a couple, and they were buggers to remove, pun intended. :)

Have a great weekend, dear friend.

Eric Dierker from Spring Valley, CA. U.S.A. on June 14, 2019:

Very well done and I think important for all of us. We just do not seem to have them here.

Miebakagh Fiberesima from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, NIGERIA. on June 14, 2019:

Hello, MarleneB, this is a very informative and educational article. Very helpful indeed. As for the lemon spray, I think I can make a stronger spray as a mosquito repellant along with the citrus zest Thanks for sharing.

dengarden.com - Tips for Designing a Tick-Free Environment For Your Yard

How do you use a greenhouse for beginners?

The Essentials for Beginners – Greenhouse Gardening 101 Be seed smart. Get a listing of what you'd wish to plant. Invest in containers. Get sterile...

Last updated Dec 23, 2018