No one wants to have ticks anywhere near their property, but you may be unknowingly inviting the insects into your yard by the type of landscape you have. Learn the types of yards ticks love best and how to keep the parasites at bay.
Rotting vegetation and wood
Ticks love a moist area to call home, so anything rotting in your landscape can attract them. Vegetation along your fence line that remains wet after watering can harbor ticks, as well as rotted tree stumps and the bottoms of wooden fences. Keep these rotting areas from attracting ticks by pulling all thick vegetation away from your fence line and hiring a tree removal service to take out stumps and trees that are rotting out.
Leaves can also provide excellent ground cover for ticks. Rake leaves often as they fall, especially along fence lines and under shrubs. This helps reduce ground cover that invites ticks.
Trim shrubbery
Low-hanging, thick shrubbery contains moisture and blocks out the sun, giving ticks an excellent place to call home. You don't have to remove your shrubs entirely, but keeping them trimmed to allow sunlight through helps make them less desirable to the parasite. Hire a tree service company to remove low-hanging sprouts and trim the outer layers of your shrubs to keep them dry.
Keep rodents at bay
Mice, raccoons, and other rodents can bring ticks into your yard. Keep all bird feeders and their seeds off the ground and place wood piles away from fence lines to keep mice and other rodents out of your yard. Keep your garbage and pet foods contained in your garage or enclosed park to prevent raccoons and skunks from lurking around your home. This can reduce an introduction of ticks from other animals.
Layer gravel around your yard's perimeter
If you live near the woods or open fields, ticks can switch from a more natural habitat into your landscape easily. Gravel helps prevent their transport. Your local greenhouse can provide you with truckloads of decorative gravel that you can place around your yard's perimeter to keep traveling ticks from entering your landscape.
Ticks can (and do) find their way into your yard. In managing your landscape to make it harder for ticks to thrive, you can reduce the likelihood that they will enter your property. Use this guide and the help of a tree service company, like Greenwood Tree Experts, to keep your yard tick-free all year long.
