These tips show how to get rid of ticks in the yard as well as a few natural treatment options.
Summer is a time for being in the outdoors. But ticks also love the warm temperatures and can be bothersome in your yard and garden.
Ticks are a nuisance and can be dangerous as well, since they carry numerous diseases such as Lyme Disease. The bugs are drawn to dark moist places so there are steps that we can take to control them.
Most tick bites don’t cause any harm and usually don’t require medical treatment.
However, because of their potential to transmit diseases that are harmful to humans, it’s a good idea to keep your yard free of ticks. Read on for some suggestions.
How to get Rid of Ticks in the Yard
If you want to have a tick free yard, you’ll need to follow a few simple steps in limiting the places where they might live. Here are some tips and tricks to help with controlling ticks in the yard.
Ticks love darkness and moisture
Ticks are drawn to certain areas of a garden. You can help by limiting the areas where they might find a home.
They especially like darkness and moisture, so messy firewood piles can be a home to them if you are not careful. 
If you leave the wood loose in an shady area where it will get rained on, it will become a tick magnet. Instead, keep your firewood neatly stacked in a dry location away from the rain if you can.
A nice bonus is that the wood will also be dry when it is time to use it next winter.
Ticks love shade. Damp and dark piles of brush and dead leaves are like tick heaven. Don’t let vegetation build up in your yard.
If you decide to compost garden refuse, use an enclosed tumbler, or keep the compost pile keep it away from play and pet areas and be sure to turn it often to keep it hot.
Keep Play areas Safe from Ticks
Locate swing sets, playhouses and other play areas in your yard away from the most densely wooded areas. If possible position them in sunny areas.
This will give children and pets more protection and keep ticks out of the play areas.
Use rocks or long cedar timbers as dividers from wooded areas. This will help to keep ticks away from areas most often used.
Regular Yard Maintenance Will Help to Repel Ticks in Yard
Mow your grass regularly so it won’t be a haven for ticks. If possible use a catcher on the mower that removes the grass clippings so they won’t attract ticks.
Remove garden refuse away from the most often used area of the yard. Trim trees of dead branches and remove piles of old leaves. Any untended areas of a yard can attract ticks.
Barriers such as a foot of bark chip or rocks around yard in common areas will make it harder for ticks to enter from the woody areas nearby.
Try not to have standing water near wooded areas. These will attract ticks. Remember to keep bird baths clean and free of refuse.
Avoid over watering
All gardeners love the look of a garden bed that is lush and beautiful because it has been watered well. But remember that ticks prefer moist environments.
If you have a tendency to over-water, and have poorly draining lawns this can act as an invitation to these insects. Water as much as your plants need, but be on the look out for areas that don’t drain well and take steps to aerate them.
Landscape to repel ticks
Ticks travel on deer, so choose plants wisely and stay away from those that are likely to attract them. It’s not uncommon to find tick nests in grass, so keep garden beds away from grassy areas.
Also install fences to keep deer out if you have a big tick problem in your yard.
Plants that keep ticks away from a yard
If you would like to try and control ticks without using chemicals, try planting Chrysanthemum cinerariae folium. This plant has a high level of natural pyrethrins and helps to dispel ticks naturally.
There are many other plants and herbs that are natural tick repellents. Try planting some of these:
Keep away rodents
If you see a lot of mice in your yard, be sure to find a way to control them. Mice are carriers of ticks. Where there are mice, there will be lots of ticks too!
Garbage cans attract host animals like rodents so be sure to store it away from areas of your year that you want to keep tick free. The first step in repelling ticks is simply to make sure your yard is nice and clean.
Natural repellents to Kill Ticks in the Yard
What kills ticks in the yard? There are lots of repellents for sale but many of them contain harmful chemicals. I like to take a more natural attempt to keep them under control.
There are several natural repellents for controlling ticks in your garden. Some common ones are:
- Neem spray
- Cedar oil
- Diatomaceous Earth
- Tick Tubes
- Natural Tick Repellents
Make your own Tick Tubes. These are biodegradable, cardboard tubes filled with permethrin-treated cotton balls.
Mice will collect the cotton to build their nests; when the deer ticks that feed on the mice are exposed to the permeation, they die.
Create a citrus based repellent
One of the questions I am often asked is “How to get rid of ticks in yard naturally?” This citrus tick spray for yards (and people) is one way.
Ticks avoid all types of citrus plants, which makes citrus an effective weapon. Home remedies for ticks in yards often make use of natural ingredients. To make a citrus based repellent:
Boil 2 cups of water, and add two chopped lemons, limes, oranges, or grapefruit. Let it boil for a minute or so, then simmer for an hour.
Strain the fruit out, let it cool, pour into the sprayer, and squirt it on you, your kids, your pets, your yard and anywhere ticks might be found in your yard.
The main thing to keep in mind is that a clean yard, free of refuse and well tended is far less likely to have ticks become a big problem.
Admin Note: This post first appeared on the blog in July of 2014. I have updated the article to add new information, photos a printable check lists card and a video for you to enjoy.
Check List for Keeping Ticks out of Yard
Ticks love the warm days of summer too. This check list will help you keep your yard free of ticks this summer.
Materials
- Print out this check list so that you will know what to do to keep your yard tick-free this summer.
Tools
- Make a natural citrus based Tick Repellent:
- Ticks avoid all types of citrus plants, which makes citrus an effective weapon.
- DIY TICK REPELLENT
- Boil 2 cups of water, and add two chopped lemons, limes, oranges, or grapefruit. Let it boil for a minute or so, then simmer for an hour.
- Strain the fruit out, let it cool, pour into the sprayer, and squirt it on you, your kids, your pets, your yard and anywhere ticks might be found in your yard.
Instructions
TICK CHECK LIST
- Limit dark and moist areas in your yard.
- Keep play areas in a sunny location.
- Do regular yard maintenance to keep garden refuse at a minimum.
- Avoid over watering plants. Ticks love moisture.
- Landscape to avoid plants. Keep garden beds away from grassy areas.
- Use these plants that have natural pyrethrins: GARLIC, GERANIUMS, ROSEMARY, CITRONELLA, EUCALYPTUS, CATNIP AND OTHERS.
- Keep away rodents, which carry ticks.
Some good natural tick repellents are:
- Neem oil
- Cedar Oil
- Diatomaceous Earth
- Tick Tubes
- Other Tick Repellents labeled natural.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
-
Neem Oil Organic & Wild Crafted Pure Cold Pressed Unrefined Cosmetic Grade 12 oz for Skincare, Hair Care, and Natural Bug Repellent by Oleavine TheraTree -
Diatomaceous Earth Food Grade 10 Lb -
TICK BAN by Yaya Organics – Extra Strength Tick Repellent, DEET-Free, All-Natural, Proven Effective and Safe for Adults and Kids (4 ounce or 16 ounce Spray)
42 responses to “How to Get Rid of Ticks in The Yard – Steps to a Tick Free Garden”
Chickens and guinea hens are also a good pesticide free method of getting rid of ticks. Not exactly useful in the cities but can be very useful in the country.
I can attest to guinea hens and chickens we had TONS of tick
and once we got the birds we only found one and that was because I came home from the neighbors and found it on my leg.
Hi Sam. What a great result for you. Thanks for sharing this tip. Carol
This is good advice. But bombing your yard or fence with permethrin will kill any bee or frog that touches it. Permethrin is highly toxic to both, and has been linked to the massive honey bee die offs around the country (colony collapse disorder).
Since frogs and bees are both important parts of the ecosystem, it doesn’t make sense to wipe them all out in an effort to control ticks. Select use of permethrin can be very effective, without risking exposure to bees and frogs.
I use these 25lb boxes of Diatomaceous Earth[crushed coral reef.] like for swimming pool filters. This version does have silica which if breathed will cut your lungs . The food grade is too expensive for my method.
I put on a breather mask and scatter it about my yard. No ticks or other creepy crawlies all summer. Doesn’t harm bees or pets.
You eat the food grade stuff in your grains you just didn’t know it until now. It’s got a lot of great properties . Check it out.
Hi Ned. Thank you for the great tip. Glad to know this works so well for you. Carol
I actually bought the kind that you can mix in with your pets food and put on their skin, it saved me last year~! I was so amazed, no fleas or ticks. the cats wanted to rip my eyes when they saw me coming but oh well! haha
Where can you buy this stuff. I have never heard of it. We are having a horrible problem with ticks this year.
Thank you
Karen
Animal feed stores sell it cheaper. In Los Angeles, we buy a 50 lb bag for $26. The stuff is food-grade and totally safe. It works on fleas, too.
Thanks for the tip Stella. Carol
Read up more on this as you should only be using food grade. It is more effective due to the higher sulfur content…did some reading and it was recommended NOT to use the DE for pools.
does it work on “mites”?
Yes works on mites also
Thanks for the good information on Permethrin. I like to use non chemical measures when I can too. I’ve noticed the bees in my yard are much less this year and I rarely use chemicals out there. It is a significant problem, Carol
Great tips. I hate ticks and will try some of these to see if they work.
I have lavender plants growing in my backyard. Is it possible to use them somehow for repelling ticks? Across the same yard I was sitting in the grass and these little tick like bugs were drinking off me. Left huge smears of blood when I squished them.
Hi Elizabeth. My research shows that lavender is best planted around seating areas and near doors and windows as a tick repellent. It’s useful but in my opinion, nothing really gets rid of all of them, other than insecticides, which many gardeners do not like to use. Carol
@Elizabeth Ruppert, most ticks won’t “squish” easily, and take a while before attaching to a place on the skin and longer to drink blood. It’s likely that what you found on you were not ticks at all, but mites of some kind. They are often rid in color, about the size of the point of a ballpoint pen, and leave itchy sores. They are not ticks.
If I use the diatomaceous earth in my back yard, will it harm my pets? Do I need to keep my pets off the area for any amount if time after applying it to the ground?
Hi Tammy Thanks for the email. My understanding is that it is perfectly safe. Some people even use it on dogs and cats to help control fleas and ticks. (If you do this, I would use food grade diatomaceous earth.) If you google diatomaceous earth and pets, you will find lots of articles about it being safe.
Carol
Diatomaceous Earth is only safe for your pets if you use food grade. DO NOT USE POOL GRADE NEAR PETS OR CHILDREN!!
And no they are not destroying coral reefs to make this, it is a naturally occurring earth comprised of fossilized diatoms.
yes it’s safe! use only food-grade diatomaceous, i get mine from amazon. I use it on my pom’s, on my 3 cats, on my chicken around in the chicken house i use it in the house to keep those nasty little ants out so far I have not seen 1 flea in my house, with the dogs i have to reply ever so often on the legs!
Thanks for your recipe for the citrus based repellent. Do you mean to have 2 cups of chopped lemons, limes, orange and or grapefruit for the recipe? or can you just use either just lemons etc.
Hi Diane. The recipe is for two cups total. YOu can mix them or use just one as long as the total of citrus is 2 cups. Carol
how often do you have to put the -diatomaceous earth on your yard – for ticks ?????????????????
I’ve never used it Fred. It was a reader who suggested it so I don’t know how often to use it or how much. Google has lots of articles on the subject though. Carol
@Fred, after any watering
I have 2 dogs and 2 cats, ticks are always a problem for us. I try to keep the property tick free using natural methods. I have recently found out about Beneficial nematodes. Have you tried that, does it work. Thank you for your tips.
Hi Veronica. I have not tried them, so I don’t know how effective they would be. Carol
I used nematodes for the first time and I still have a tick problem.
wow, that’s nice, i’m looking forward to reading more of your posts. great post thank you for sharing.
I was diagnosed with Lyme disease 5 years ago and was taking Antibiotics and Nonsteroidal anti-Inflammatory drug which seemed to help. However, I still suffer from some of the symptoms. My symptoms have always been chronic fatigue, joint pain, and even neurological problems in controlling hand and leg movements. I am a 54 year old female. the Antibiotics wasn’t really working and I could not tolerate them for long due to severe side effects, so this year our family doctor started me on Natural Herbal Gardens Lyme disease Herbal mixture, We ordered their Lyme disease herbal treatment after reading alot of positive reviews, i am happy to report with the help of Natural Herbal Garden natural herbs I have been able to reverse my symptoms using herbs, my symptoms totally declined over a 8 weeks use of the Natural Herbal Gardens Lyme disease herbal mixture. My Lyme disease is totally reversed! I’m 54 and have never been this healthier
I appreciate it when you said that ticks love areas that are dark and damp, so by limiting the parts in the yard that fits the description, we can reduce the possibility of getting ticks. Now I know what we have a lot of those pests in the backyard. The shed was torn down and left there a few months ago. The decaying wood and areas that accumulated water were what probably attracted them. I will call a professional to help me get rid of them, then I will get rid of the shed.
Hi Dino…yes many bugs like dark moist areas and ticks are no exception. Best of luck on getting rid of them! Carol
Please take this very seriously if you have a yard infested with ticks. Lyme disease nearly killed my mother!
Song Bird safety can be quite different from pet safety. And bird safety is frequently not thought of when discussing what to put all over the yard. Are any of these products safe for birds and frogs?
My article only discusses household pets, so I’m afraid I don’t have that information but perhaps another reader might be able to help. Carol
Not sure if this made a difference but I sprayed Avons Skin-So-Soft on me last 2 days to keep away the black flies-and I only had 1 tick.Hubby did nothing and had 5. We have a big trash can full of the food grade Earth stuff to spread today,and I’ll be heading uptown for some plants to help deter them. We do have a wood pile drying in the full sun but nether of us went anywhere near that,we concentrated on cutting the grass. We have had alot of rain though,and its just been the last 3 years we’ve had any ticks,we’ve been here for 16 yrs. I’ll be getting some Citrus spray for hubby to spray himself..
Thank you for your tips on keeping ticks out of the yard. I never new moist dark places are an attraction for them. My grandpa has a pile of wood that is in a shady spot. I’ll have to let him know is might need to be moved.
Just an FYI….I know citrus can make you burn badly in the sun. I’m not sure if it is diluted if it can cause same reaction, but may want to test a small spot on skin. I’m sure it’s just for clothing.
Oh dear, does this mean I should have all the arbor wood mulch removed from my gardens? I had the landscaper disperse it to control weeds. Now I am wondering if I just created a bigger problem. If removal is recommended, then what to apply instead? Thanks for the tips.
No you should be fine with mulch. Wood piles are more of a problem than mulch that is in the sunlight all the time.