DU Gardeners, I'm getting really ticked here and have a question

[Best_man23]

Here in Northern Virginia we have our share of critters to watch out for while gardening. Copperheads and skunks are the most dreaded, but following those two are ticks. Well my DU friends, we got ticks this year. Just in the past 3 days, Mrs Best and I have found 8 of the bloodsucking menaces on us.

So my question to the Garden forum is, what would be the most ecologically friendly way to rid our yard and garden of our Tucker invasion. The last tick I found made me want to go full Republicant on them and just nuke the entire lawn and garden with Sevin dust. But I know doing that will also kill the good guys like Praying Mantis and of course pollinators.

Any and all help will be appreciated.

[dlk]

1. Have you contacted your county extension office?

They are usually a good resource for this type of information.

[Phoenix61]

3. Neem oil.

Use eucalyptus or neem oil
Both eucalyptus and neem oil will kill ticks on contact.

To use these essential oils to get rid of ticks, combine 4 ounces of purified water into a spray bottle, along with 30 drops of your carrier oil of choice. Shake well and spray anywhere you want to kill ticks.
https://smithspestmanagement.com/blog/post/how-to-get-rid-of-ticks/

Sprays with Deet will keep them off of you.
https://www.prevention.com/health/a22095155/best-tick-repellents/

[TygrBright]

4. If you can entice some possums to live in or near your yard, they eat ticks! n/t

[PoliticAverse]

5. Actually the possum thing is apparently a myth. n/t

[wackadoo wabbit]

16. But they're cute, so there's that /nt

[PoliticAverse]

17. I only ever see them as roadkill unfortunately. n/t

[Ocelot II]

6. Started to say opossums. But I guess not.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34298355/#:~:text=Virginia%20opossums%20

[usonian]

7. Quick search turned this up:

To repel from you:
DEET or permethrin. Use carefully.

Plants to plant:
https://www.pestguides.com/diy-homemade-natural-tick-repellent-recipes/

Plants and herbs that repel bugs, ticks, fleas and rodents

If you are an avid gardener, plant the following herbs and plants in your garden to keep your yard free of ticks and other bugs:

Anise
Basil
Calendula
Catnip
Garlic
Geranium
Hyssop
Mint
Mugwort
Pennyroyal
Pyrethrum
Chrysanthemum
Feverfew
Thyme
Wormwood
Yarrow
Lavender
Marigold

Other aromatics:
People have listed all kinds of oils.
I can't verify, but they might work, and smell nice as well.

Two suggestions.
Do avoid tall grass, deer ( they seem to have covid as well, in large percentage) etc.
https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/avoid/in_the_yard.html
Good ideas here.
Create a Tick-safe Zone


Have someone else check body areas you can't see.

I have a tick key but fortunately have not had to use it. In most sporting goods sections, I think.
https://tickkey.com/


CDC says:
https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/removing_a_tick.html
Avoid folklore remedies such as “painting” the tick with nail polish or petroleum jelly, or using heat to make the tick detach from the skin. Your goal is to remove the tick as quickly as possible–not waiting for it to detach

Both CDC pages link to pdf files with more info.

HTH

[Ocelot II]

11. I have also heard that wearing cat flea collars around your ankles (over your pants) works

to keep them off you but I've never tried it.

[usonian]

12. Obnoxious site, but it lists ingredients.

https://petkeen.com/best-flea-collars-for-cats/

Personally, I would stick with DEET or permethrin. I have not heard of these chemicals.

[Faux pas]

8. ...

On an episode of Homestead Rescue they brought in a certain type of chicken that eats ticks. I bet Google could help you find them

[WheelWalker]

14. Any chicken is an effective tick-eater. In my experience.

[Faux pas]

20. I

might have been able to learn that except hawks got to all our chickens.

[mopinko]

9. chickens

course they'll eat all the plants eventually, but...

[WheelWalker]

15. They will if you keep them in an area for days on end. Rotate

them in and out of an area and collateral damage can be minimized to a large extent. Chickens prefer bugs and worms over plants, generally. But they are bio-cultivators.

[druidity33]

10. Eat raw garlic...

get some guinea hens, mow wide paths through all your tall grasses, tuck your pants into your socks, use Off! spray... that's about all i got. You'll never rid your yard btw, best you can hope for is to keep them off you. Eating raw garlic has always worked best for me... but not necessarily everyone else around me.



Good Luck.

K&R

[WheelWalker]

13. First line of defense... Chickens.

[WhiteTara]

18. Cedarcide is fab

it's made of cedar oil and is an incredible repellent. I am using the lemon grass scent, but found that it has the dreaded laurels, but i spray it on my clothes.

[Bayard]

19. I've spent a lot of time lately in the woods,

(finding survey markers, new fencing for donkeys/goats). I've had to pick off ticks in the darnedest places! The only thing I've had to work at all is Off/Deep Woods.

[NutmegYankee]

21. I live just a few miles from Lyme, Connecticut

That is where the disease was named. My recommendation is creating cedar mulch walkways. Ticks seem to stay away from cedar.