Lawn Tick Killers
Spending an evening in the lawn with ticks around you can be quiet irritated. Ticks are pests that attach themselves to humans and pets. These blood-sucking parasites are not only annoying, but also transmit illnesses like the lyme disease. They invade the lawn and yard during summer months because the warmth of the sun helps the pupae hatch, multiply and begin an entire life cycle. Some homeowners use harmful chemicals to kill ticks, while others use natural, non-toxic methods. Does this Spark an idea?
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Peppermint Spray
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Make a non-toxic spray at home using peppermint. Combine two cups water and 15 drops peppermint essential oil and pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Spray the solution around the yard once a week and it will suffocate and kill the ticks and also prevent future tick invasion.
Cinnamon Spray
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Alternatively, make a mixture of one oz. cinnamon oil and half gallon horticultural oil. Coat the lawn completely with the spray. The cinnamon oil contains cinnamaldehyde, anethole and eugenol that are eco-friendly and effective in getting rid of ticks.
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Neem Spray
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A natural method to kill ticks in the lawn is by using neem oil. Neem oil is used by many brands for preparing pesticides and insecticides and neem plants are available at health, organic or ethnic stores. The oil extracted from neem has the ability to kill ticks in all its life stages. To prepare a natural neem spray for the lawn, extract neem oil from the neem leaves. Mix few drops of oil with a gallon of water in a spray bottle. Coat the lawn with this spray to destroy eggs and adult ticks.
Essential Oils
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A combination of essential oils serves as a natural tick repellant. Essential oils extracted from lily, citronella and clove have a strong aromatic scent that can help get rid of ticks. Prepare a solution by adding a few drops of clove, lily and citronella essential oils to a cup half filled with water. Fill this solution into a spray bottle and spray the solution directly on the lawn. Spray the solution, five days a week for four weeks until all the ticks disappear. The strong smell of the essential oils kills the ticks and their eggs and prevents further infestation.
Commercial Insecticides and Pesticides
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Insecticides and pesticides offer an effective way to kill ticks in the lawn. Before treating the lawns with insecticide, mow the lawn to three inches in height and remove all unnecessary weeds, litter, grass and undergrowth. Insecticides and pesticides come in both liquid and granular form. As per the SMDC website (smdc.army.mil), granular pesticides are good for tick eggs or young ticks that hide in lawns, while liquid pesticides are best for adult ticks that are crawling in the open.
Yardsafe
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Yardsafe is a popular tick killing product by Greenlight that is most effective against ticks. It contains cedar oil, which is safe to use around plants, lawns and pets. Yardsafe also enriches the microbial activity in the soil and thereby increases the life of the plant. It comes in a 32-oz. concentrated pack that is sufficient to treat 4,000 square feet of the yard.
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