Whether you have pets or not, everyone should know certain tips and tricks of ridding their lawn of fleas and ticks.

Where to Find Fleas and Ticks

Obviously, if you find a tick on yourself or your pet, it most likely came from outside of your home. You can check around your yard for signs of these pests to help get rid of them and prevent future problems. Places they’re most likely to be found include:

• Moist, shaded areas
• Areas frequented by pets (dog house or kennel, porch, along the fence)
• Tall grass
• Wood piles
• Wooded perimeter

Tips and Tricks for Preventing Fleas and Ticks

Pet owners know all about flea and tick solutions, but what about if you don’t have pets? These pests can still find their way into your yard and home and cause damage and even disease. Here are some ways to stop them.

1. Keep the lawn clean. Fleas and ticks prefer tall grass, brush, and leaves, and can easily jump from these hiding places to your legs. By regularly mowing the lawn and cleaning up debris, you’re giving them fewer places to go.
2. Keep the wood piles clean. Neatly stacking firewood piles in a dry, sunny spot won’t attract fleas and ticks like moist, sloppy piles in the shade do.
3. Create a rough path. Fleas hate the smell of cedar and ticks are less likely to travel across wood chips or gravel. The roughness is irritating to them, therefore it’s helpful to you! Create a buffer zone by outlining your yard with a gravel path or raised bed loaded with cedar wood chips to help keep them out.
4. Protective plants. There are certain plants that help deter fleas and ticks. Plant these around your home as a pretty deterrent.
5. Protective pets. Some animals like to feast on these pests. Chickens and other birds will peck on ticks in the yard, so think about raising some or making your yard bird-friendly with feeders in areas free of debris.
6. Insecticides. There are products available to treat your yard for pest prevention. It’s important to read the label, protect yourself during application, and keep people and pets from the area as directed. It’s an even better idea to have a professional apply the product for best results.

For more tips and tricks on prevention and treatment of fleas and ticks, contact Cardinal Lawns or talk to your veterinarian for pet-related solutions.