A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2004 Big Tick Problems

ALL,

We had an enormous tick problem last year! With my house practically covered in overgrown plants, shrubs and trees we were innundated with these horrid things.

It got so they were getting into the house and we'd find them everywhere!!! It made the us all nutz plus we have a long haired Shih Tzu and the poor thing had to be shaved!

I would pick them off of the kids daily and several times a day. What can I do to get rid of them if it happens again this spring. I did get rid of a lot of the brush,etc around the house.

I NEED to be prepared because it was just MISERABLE, and my eldest son has phobias/anxiety/sensory issues so he was beside himself until fall. He wouldn't go outside all summer.

Hi Barb,
Sounds awful. I feel for you and your family. I did some searching on the internet and found this site from Ohio State University. They give recommendations for several pesticides, but I don't use those types of chemicals. Still, you may find the information useful.

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2073.html

Planet Natural has several environmentally friendly alternatives. I think some pruning along with clearing away undergrowth and something like the diatomaceous earth could be a good tactic. There is also "Rotenone & Pyrethrin Concentrate" listed at the bottom of the page that you might want to consider. Of course these things can often be purchased locally as well.

http://www.planetnatural.com/tick_control.html

Hope this helps you to more enjoy your outdoor space this year.

Newt

Hi Barb, I know that in Arkansas they have a terrible tick problem, the folks down there use cedar bark shavings for walkways, pet beds/doghouses etc. ticks are a problem here, but only in the woods, try to find something non-chemical first, no disrespect to the folks that use chemicals

barb, was thinking about what you said about the tick problem. i know that you don't want to hear about planting another tree, but... was researching one of the tree/shrubs that grows around here, and appearantly it repels fleas and ticks. i do know that my dogs (and kids) haven't had any ticks this past year except one. the name of the tree/shrub is wax myrtle. i'd look into it, can't hurt and it is a smallish tree/largish shrub.

Newt,

Thanks! I'll look them up!

I too, prefer a natural method...I don't want to spray harmful chemicals because I have little ones, plus I want to be able to garden veggies..and any chemicals would be a no-no.

I am really hoping to be able to go out and about in the garden this year without the certain knowledge that I'm going to have passengers on my family! :p

Thanks for the cedar bark shavings...maybe I can do a cedar mulch?

Our property looked MUCH like a forest...but we have removed all of the overgrown brush, so maybe we'll be ok. My neighbors did not seem to have nearly the tick infestation that we did. It was horrible.

I will try all natural methods first, since I do have little ones and want to do some veggies and maybe put in a berry bush.

Barb H

Hi Barb,
You're very welcome. Hope you can get them under control. I like the suggestion of the cedar mulch too.

Good luck,
Newt

This is from ARS
"A patented device developed by Agricultural Research Service scientists
to protect white-tailed deer from blacklegged ticks is now being sold
commercially.

The American Lyme Disease Foundation, Somers, N.Y., has been licensed
to produce the device, called the "4-Poster" Deer Treatment Bait
Station, developed by ARS scientists in Kerrville, Texas. ARS is the
U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency.

The device was studied for five years, to see if it would control ticks
plaguing white-tailed deer in the Northeast. Blacklegged ticks, Ixodes
scapularis, and the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum, transmit the
bacterial agent, Borrelia burgdorferi, that causes human Lyme disease.
Each year, more than 10,000 human cases of Lyme disease are reported in
the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.

The simple device consists of a bin that's filled with whole-kernel
corn. Paint rollers on the four corners of the bin are loaded with a
special formulation of permethrin that Y-Tex Corporation, in Cody, Wyo.,
registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for exclusive
application to deer by the "4-poster." As a deer feeds on the corn in
the bin, the animal's head and neck rub against the permethrin-laden
rollers, which gives sufficient coverage to protect the entire animal.

The 4-poster device offers a viable tick-control alternative to
spraying insecticides into the environment that might be toxic to
nontarget species. Studies by ARS and cooperators have shown that after
two to three years, use of the 4-poster technology will control from 92
to 98 percent of the free-living tick population around the devices.
Depending on the size of the herd, each device will treat deer on
approximately 40 to 50 acres.

Lyme disease occurs mainly in suburban areas where there's an
overabundance of deer. The test sites for the device were in areas where
some of the highest incidences of Lyme disease in the United States were
found when the project started in 1997. "


Also have you looked into beneficial nematodes? They are starting show results with tick control.

Chirps!!


Chrips!!

Hey, Buglady!

Thanks for the post. But.......what the heck is a nemotode? Is that anything like a neopet????

I'm a newbie here, so any info you can give will be appreciated!!

Barb H

Jiffy,

I'm gonna look up wax myrtle to see what it looks like. I'm pretty desperate, so if I can fit it in, I will!!! Thanks!!!!

Barb,
What zone are you??

Wax Myrtle

Just curious!!!

Weezie

Hey, Weezie!

I'm in zone six!

The Wax Myrtles grow in zones 7-10.
It might not work for you there????
Just a tad bit cold??????????????? ???

Weezie

then again, she might could push the zone... depending on how far north she is into zone 6.

I'll have to check with local nursery and see if they sell it, or would think it could survive.

I am NOT going through another spring/summer like the last one! You get to where you don't even want to be gardening!

barb, did yo say you were in the pittsburgh area? my in-laws are in the gettysburg/harrisburg area. i can ask what they use to keep them down.

Hey, Jiffymouse!

I live in the Philly 'burbs....called Havertown. Not too far from the city...but far enough!

Another thing you can try Barb, EAT TONS OF GARLIC!!
This will keep them and mosquito's from biting you, also keeps away those annoying neighbors

actually barb, phil is close to the mark. i know that if you grow garlic, that helps too. it is one of those natural flea/fly/tick repellents! so plant some wild garlic, it can always be mowed over if necessary!

Jiffy and Phil & Laura,

I'll plant garlic then! It will be a garlic fortress!!!!! Eureka! Or is it YOU REEK-A?!?!

sounds like a plan... think I am going to plant some too!!

Alliums are alot of fun,
come in several different sizes and colors.

One thing to remember though, they will reseed prolifically if you let the flower head go to seed.
#1. Does give the garden some nice look after it's dead, but there will be a ba~zillion seeds,
.....A. That in the end will deplete the strength and size of the bulb.... you will get some more flowers in the coming years, but each time the flower will get smaller and smaller.
.....B. The little seedlings will look like grass, so you have to remember that you let the plant go to seed and that you shouldn't pull them up the following year if you want to save them as new plants. *one or two good fists full of what looks like grass will tell you, you made a mistake in pulling them, that's how I learned!!!

Weezie

P.S.
There's short ones that are pink and white and
Tall ones that are deep purples, so much fun.
I love them and very very carefree, no work other than the inital planting of them.

I would like to grow these too, but am a little leary because of all the onion grass we have in the lawns here - I wanted to try them to ward off deer, but in thinking about it, they are so used to the smell of the onion grass after it's been mowed, I don't think planting alliums will do the trick, do you?

You-REEK-A Thats funny Barb..ROFL

Alliums sound great! They have great structure and height, good color and if they get rid of the ticks....it will be a FANTASTIC spring/summer!! It was so bad last spring that my poor son was jumping out of his skin with just the mention of ticks! They were EVERYWHERE!

I want to say that I also had tick problems here in Georgia. I have already seen and pulled some off me this year. I've read everyone ideas. I think I will try some of the plants.