Keep These Yard Pests At Bay

As the weather warms, families tend to spend more time out in nature. Unfortunately, the same can be said for pests like ticks who can spread diseases to both people and their pets. In the past, chemical sprays were the main way to control ticks within a yard, but in an effort for increased safety and respect to the environment, there are now more organic tick control options available. The following tips on tick control, both with yard maintenance and organic sprays, can help make those warmer days safer for families and pets.

Step One: Yard Maintenance

Ticks love a messy yard. Their natural instinct involves hiding among tall weeds and heavy shrubbery. Before treating your yard, it is important to get a handle on the tick’s natural habitat. With proper maintenance, you can decrease the amount of ticks that want to take refuge within your yard. Quality yard maintenance can involve the following:

• Keeping grass routinely trimmed short
• Keeping weeds and overgrown shrubbery to a minimum
• Always bagging grass clippings or raked leaves

By taking away these hiding spots, ticks are less likely to be found in your yard.

Step Two: Spraying the Yard

Harsh chemicals that can affect your family and pets are no longer necessary as quality natural alternatives to lawn sprays have become more popular. These sprays use natural ingredients like peppermint oil, cedar oil, and citrus scents to repel ticks from the environment. The lack of chemicals is also crucial to protecting other insects who live in the environment like honeybees. Like their chemical counterparts, to be effective as a tick repellent, these organic sprays need to be reapplied to your yard every 30 to 60 days, depending on the brand.

Organic tick control options are a good alternative that keep safety and eco-friendly aspects in mind while protecting against tick-related diseases.