Keep your yard tick-free with natural cedar oil formulations.
Three types of cedar trees grow in the United States. These are Virginia cedar, Texas cedar and Western red cedar. The first two contain cedrol, cedrene and thujopsene; the makers of pesticides commonly use them as the active ingredient in insect repellents, particularly for fleas and ticks. Ticks are parasites that attach themselves to mammals, feeding off their blood and spreading a variety of tick-borne diseases including ehrlichiosis, which causes tick-bite fever in dogs that can result in death.
Cedar Facts
Humanity has used cedar oil for hundreds of years for a variety of medicinal purposes. Ancient Egyptians used it to embalm mummies and the ancient Greeks used it as an insect repellent by impregnating papyrus leaves with it. The cedar tree is a native of North America and can live for as long as 100 years. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, cedar oil was first registered in 1960 as a pesticide to repel moths from clothing, but is no longer registered since its use was deregulated in 1996.
Cedar Uses
Several formulations of cedar oil are in common use as insect repellents. Cedar oil is the active ingredient in naphthalene balls, also known as mothballs, as well as in bug blocks. Both of these products repel insects from clothing. It is also the main ingredient in a pet tag or collar that emits a spray and is a product used to spray animal bedding to protect against ticks.
Yard Uses
Use cedar to control ticks in your yard by spreading cedar wood chips or mulch around your garden plants. Place a layer of cedar wood shavings under the bedding in your dog's house. Sprinkle cedar chips on your lawn first thing in the morning, then mow the lawn. This will cut the chips into fine powder and distribute them throughout the grass.
Formulations
Add a few drops of cedar oil to a liter of water and pour into a spray bottle. Spray this around the yard, concentrating on areas where you have seen ticks or you suspect they may be. Add several drops of cedar oil to a bucket of water and general washing liquid and use it to wash down concrete areas and patios. Add six to 10 drops of oil to two ounces of dog shampoo and wash your dog with it to prevent your pet from transporting ticks around your yard. A large number of commercial products are available that make use of cedar oil in formulations suitable for outdoor yard use. These products can be purchased online and at stores that sell natural products.
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