The Secret Weapon You Need To Keep Ticks Out Of Your Yard And Garden

Ticks are one of the worst pests to have in your yard since they can cause disease in both humans and pets. Though several store-bought chemically based tick repellents are available today, there are natural ways to repel ticks too. One of the best ways to keep ticks out of your yard is to use cinnamon oil on your lawn and garden.

Keeping ticks out of your yard is one way to protect your family and pets. Bites from these insects can cause a host of diseases, including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Colorado tick fever (via CDC). You may not even know if you get a tick bite because it doesn't always show symptoms such as a red rash or an itch.

Ticks don't fly, and they can easily stay hidden in blades of grass.  Another thing that keeps them from being noticed is their size. Adult ticks can be roughly around the size of an apple seed, while newborn ticks, called nymphs, can be as tiny as a poppy seed. Unbelievably, tick larvae can be as minute as a grain of sand. 

Cinnamon oil repels ticks because it contains a natural chemical called eugenol. This chemical acts as a natural insecticide. When ticks smell cinnamon oil, they are repelled by the strong odor. However, keep in mind that cinnamon oil can be toxic to some animals, so if you have pets, you'll want to keep them away from areas where cinnamon oil is used (via VCA Animal Hospitals).

Spraying your yard with a mix of cinnamon oil and water will help keep ticks away. Mix 80 drops of cinnamon oil with 1 ounce of water to cover a 400-foot lawn. Then spray it on your lawn and other areas where ticks may be present.

Cinnamon oil can be used to repel ticks by adding it to a diffuser. That can be especially helpful for outside porches and sitting areas. If cinnamon oil is sprayed directly on ticks, it will kill them. As a bonus, the cinnamon oil can also help keep ants out of your house and deter fleas, spiders, aphids, and flies.