Why would I want to make a post about Keeping Deer Ticks out of your Landscape?
Besides the near epidemic of Lyme disease in parts of the country spread exclusively by deer ticks, there are also other really nasty diseases that can be spread by ticks like Powassan virus that are even scarier. Plus this year is expected to be a really bad year for ticks.
So, what better time to talk about what you can do to protect yourself from those nasty Deer ticks that transmit Lyme disease specifically.
I am not a fan of Yellow jackets, Bald Face Hornets, or huge Garden Spiders, but it is ticks I really despise the most. I mean I really REALLY hate ticks. Always have even before I had any idea they could give your diseases. They totally creep me out. So lets figure out how to kill those little parasites!
Here are the Products mentioned in my video (note some of these are affiliate links). You can also probably find these in local stores such as Farm and Fleet or Big R.
Permetherin Spray for Clothing including shoes:
Sawyer Products Premium Permethrin Clothing Insect Repellent
Coleman Gear and Clothing Permethrin Insect Repellent Aerosol
Permetherin Concentrate in 7-10% range:
Martin’s Permethrin 10%, 32oz – 1 Quart
You could also get goggles but since I didn’t wear them and most people won’t bother I didn’t bother to add a link.
Premade Tick Tubes
If you don’t want to bother making your own, you can buy pre made tubes such as these:
Thermacell TC-24 Tick Control Tubes, 24-Count
or if you have a smaller yard you may want a 6 pack like this:
Jim –
Thank you for all of the pointers regarding ticks and how to make my yard tick free. I’ve an acre and a half, with a good part planted as created native prairie with lots of forbs, and another part that has been transformed into a “natural” woodland. I’m surrounded by fields and large yards with grass. I have lots of deer, mice and ticks! I’ll use your method to see how it works.
I DO have a question, though. I have chipmunks (I live in Southern Illinois – Carbondale area) and they are burrowing around the base of my house and pushing up all of the rock I’ve placed there for drainage. I’d like to deter them from doing this and would like a method. I’ve tried mothballs (which I HATE using) and they just push them out of their channels and dig new ones. I’ve used “tobacco tea” between the stones on my patio, and that seems to work somewhat but those areas are much narrower – also, I have using nicotine which I know is not good for the bugs in my yard. Is there anything else I can try?
Sorry nothing comes to mind. Perhaps placing some large stones mulch on top of your existing.