Natural Ways To Keep A Pest-Free Yard
Living in the forest on a homestead or even in a neighborhood where ticks, mosquitos, and other pesky bugs can thrive can be a battle when you care for the environment and are an outdoor dweller. While some people spray their yards with chemicals and have perfectly manicured lawns, others like me like to live with their ecosystem instead of controlling it. I will admit it has taken me a while to work out the kinks for myself and the land on which I thrive. I want to share these tips and tricks for easy living with you.
Let's start with envisioning yourself as part of your ecosystem instead of outside or above it. Permaculture practices teach us to become a part of and work with our environment. If we are an active part of the system, we dwell in, how and why do we want to poison it? Harsh words, I know, but the reality is that everything you spray on your yard ends up in the waterways and oceans. Believe it or not, becoming more natural in your home helps the environment in a big way.
There is a delicate balance between your boundaries with nature and your home. When I moved to my homestead semi in the forest, I let everything go wild and free from what the previous owner had done to the land. Three years later, I decided I needed to do something about the mosquito, tick, and frog problem we started to notice was taking over.
Mosquitos can ruin a dinner party like nothing else! First, sitting water is a problem. Sitting water is the perfect place for mosquitos to lay eggs. Turn over every pot, chair, and bucket that could hold water. Next, get a little fountain for your ponds and birdbaths. They do not like to lay eggs in moving water. Lastly, a friend turned me on to mosquito dunks. It is this magical natural thing that a human invented that doesn't hurt the environment, plants, or animals, yet gets rid of mosquitos. You can order mosquito dunks online and drop one in your pond or fountain or any sitting water around your homestead. By doing these few things, you will see a significant improvement in your outdoor comfort.
Ticks are the worst of all the bloodsuckers. One of the only things in Mother Nature I loathe are ticks. Ticks carry Lyme and can have several serious diseases. We should all be privy to how dangerous Lyme can be to us at this point. My partner got Lyme last year and was incredibly sick, and several friends have also experienced illness due to Lyme. Ticks are a battle here in Appalachia. Tick control is a seasonal battle you must maintain to enjoy your outdoor space. The first thing to remember is that ticks love wet leaves. Once I kept up with raking and blowing off the leaves in our walking areas, I saw a massive reduction in ticks on us and our animals. Second, cedar chips are a fantastic tool to ward off ticks; ticks hate cedar. I made a pathway and sitting area with cedar mulch, and it has been an excellent barrier for us to relax and enjoy the outdoors. You can also sprinkle the chips around your yard. I recommend spreading cedar chips in common areas before the first spring bloom and when summer is in full swing, then again in mid-fall. Alternatively, cedar spray may work, but spraying too much essential oil can disrupt other beneficial bugs and the ecosystem.
Fleas are not a problem for everyone, but I wanted to mention them because if you have ever battled them, you know what a pain it can be. Our little doggie trio is allergic to fleas, so we must be pretty drastic on the flea front. The best thing for your house and yard is diatomaceous earth. There is a great brand here that I have used in the past. Diatomaceous earth is tiny crushed-up shells that can irritate the lungs. You need to wear a mask and gloves while spreading it around and put the pets and humans outside when you apply it indoors. Sprinkle the powder on your couch, carpet, and outdoors. This task may sound like much work, but it is not. You only need to spread it in your environment a few times, depending on how bad your flea problem is.
As an herbalist, I always try to use plants as my first ally in every part of my life. Planting aromatic herbs around your outdoor spaces is also an excellent pest repellant. Peppermint, spearmint, catnip, lemon balm, and lemon verbena are herbs to consider planting. I have the best experience with peppermint; all pests seem to hate it, including mice. Remember, plants in the mint family can become invasive and take over, so it is best to plant in beds or pots to reduce the spread to your other plant systems.
The last tool I will mention is body protection for you and your family. Personally, I don't care how natural the bug spray is; I don't like it on my skin or clothes. When I owned an apothecary, we created bracelets and anklets made of lava stone to put bug-repelling essential oils on for a bug barrier, which is a fun DIY project for kids. They make bug-repellent bracelets that you can now order online, if you don’t have time to make them. Also, for your pets, I use this tag for my dog and cat and an essential oil collar. The very best tick tool I have ever used is this one, called a tick twister, to get the ticks off of you and your loved ones.
I hope you can take some natural inspiration for your outdoor season so you can simultaneously thrive outdoors and care for your environment.
