Organic Flea Treatments for your Yard
Fleas may be so tiny they’re hard to see, but you’ll definitely feel their presence should they invade your lawn and soften your pet cat or dog. These very small pests bite your bare skin and are not just irritating but may also transmit harmful diseases. To efficiently protect both you and your loved ones, you need to treat all surroundings where fleas could be present, like your own backyard. Before resorting to poisonous, unpleasant chemical treatments, consider some of the organic, organic solutions available for your flea issue.
Increase Sunlight Penetration
Fleas are extremely sensitive to environmental circumstances, and their larvae cannot survive in sunlight or at low humidity. Thus, landscaping plans which increase sun exposure and enhance air circulation — this removes moisture and lethally dries out the fleas — efficiently eliminate fleas on your yard with no chemical involvement. Mow your lawn as short as possible for your particular species of turf grass, prune back overhanging tree branches to increase sunlight penetration and thin out the branches of shrubs and hedges to boost air movement.
Dust Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth is a kind of dusty powder produced from sedimentary rock. When scattered where fleas live, it kills fleas naturally by drying up them and is particularly effective against flea larvae, thereby breaking the flea’s life cycle and eradicating the issue. For maximum efficacy, however, diatomaceous earth is best utilized in dry areas in your yard, such as in garden constructions or on patios and decks.
Use Cedar Chips
Cedar chips are widely used by craftsmen as a mulching material, in part due to its deep, rich color and long-lasting temperament that does not decompose quickly like some other mulches. Many individuals claim that cedar chips also repel fleas naturally. When used as a mulch in your yard, specifically in regions where sunlight penetration is reduced, cedar mulch can push fleas to other areas of your yard where it is going to be easier to raise sunlight and reduce humidity to naturally kill them without chemicals.
Treat Your Eyes
For successful eradication of fleas at a yard, your pets — the most significant element in flea sprays and reintroductions, in addition to their main food source — should also be treated. This is particularly true if they live in your yard or have access to your yard. While chemicals like fipronil and methoprene may kill fleas on your pets, several effective natural, organic options exist. Including shampoos and sprays made with pyrethrins, which can be crafted from chrysanthemum plants; lemon juice extract along with other extracts produced from citrus fruit, which can be gentle enough for kittens and dogs; along with pennyroyal oil, a natural oil commonly found in flea-killing pet shampoos.
Insert Nematodes to Your Dirt
Flea eggs and flea larvae live in the top layer of the dirt and also persist in yard grass. In this same ecological layer live nematodes, and one particular nematode attacks and kills flea larvae and eggs. Known as Steinerma carpocapsae and available in many garden shops and nurseries, this nematode is much more successful at killing flea cocoons than poisonous chemicals.