Property Management
Create a tick safe environment with landscape modifications
Methods To Keep Ticks Out of Your Property
Understand how to maintain your property when living in a high tick population area. Below are tips and tricks to keep your property tick free for your family, pets & wildlife on your property.
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Create a Barrier
Perimeter wood and gravel barriers should be a minimum of 3 inches deep. The CDC recommends keeping a 3-foot wide barrier of gravel or wood chips between wooded areas (Ecotone) and lawns to make it harder for ticks to migrate into the first few feet of the adjacent turf.
Groomed Lawn
Well-groomed and sunny lawns provide a natural safe zone for children and pets to play. Cut your grass regularly. Prune shrubs and ground cover off and away from walkways and patios where people and pets may brush up against while walking by.
Ecotone Management (primary tick habitat)
The Ecotone is the first 20’ into the wood line, this is primary tick habitat. Every stage of the Blacklegged tick is found here. Modifying this area will greatly reduce the survival of ticks and their hosts.
- Limit weeds and other vegetation from creating an understory which ticks can quest on
- Remove old firewood and brush piles to reduce animal harborage
- Keep leaf litter build-up to a minimum to reduce available moisture the tick needs
- Do not move leaves & other landscape debris into the first 20’ of the wood line
- Hire a landscaper or start a compost!
- Encourage more sunlight and air circulation
- Place playsets at least 20 feet away from the wood line
Secondary Tick Habitat
In addition to the primary tick habitat locations. Ticks can be found in gardens, ground cover beds, foundation plantings, open stone walls, under decks and play sets. In most cases tick populations don’t develop in these areas, but ticks can survive there.
- Keep space under deck clean of leaves and other debris
- Keep weeds and grass short under lawn furniture and play sets
- Maintain pachysandra and other dense ground cover away from walks and paths
- Use deer repellents to keep browsing deer out of your shrub beds.
- Place bird feeders in open areas away from the home, feeders can attract tick carrying mice and other rodents
