How to protect yourself from ticks in the garden? - briefly
Wear long, light-colored clothing and apply EPA‑registered tick repellent to skin and garments before entering the garden. Afterward, inspect and remove any attached ticks promptly, and maintain low, cleared vegetation to reduce tick habitats.
How to protect yourself from ticks in the garden? - in detail
Wear light-colored, tightly woven clothing that covers the skin. Tuck shirts into pants and secure pant legs with elastic cuffs or gaiters. Apply an EPA‑registered repellent containing DEET, picaridin, or IR3535 to exposed areas, following label instructions for concentration and re‑application intervals.
Maintain the garden to reduce tick habitats. Keep grass trimmed to a maximum of 5 cm, remove leaf litter, and prune low‑lying vegetation. Create a barrier of wood chips or gravel between lawn and wooded borders, as ticks avoid dry, exposed surfaces. Treat perimeter vegetation with acaricide products when infestation levels are high, adhering to safety guidelines.
Conduct regular body inspections after each gardening session. Examine the scalp, neck, armpits, groin, and the backs of knees. Use fine‑toothed tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible; pull upward with steady pressure, avoiding crushing the body. Clean the bite site with alcohol or soap and water.
Manage pets that roam in the garden. Use veterinarian‑approved tick collars, spot‑on treatments, or oral medications. Groom animals daily and inspect fur for attached ticks, removing any found promptly.
Schedule gardening activities during cooler parts of the day, when ticks are less active. Avoid working in dense, shaded brush, and limit exposure to known tick‑infested areas. If possible, limit time spent in high‑risk zones and rotate work areas to prevent prolonged contact with contaminated vegetation.
Store and handle tick‑control chemicals in a locked, well‑ventilated area. Keep containers sealed, label them clearly, and dispose of expired products according to local regulations to avoid accidental exposure.