I just heard that a friend was bitten by a tick that she found embedded in her skin and she found the tell tale bull’s eye mark in the area. She fears that she may have Lyme disease and is being treated with antibiotics. She was lucky because she found both the tiny tick and the tell tale bull’s eye. Not everyone is so lucky to find this evidence. This is her second encounter with a tick that carries a disease. The last time she had a tick borne disease called Babesiosis. Ticks can carry numerous diseases, not just Lyme disease and/or Babesiosis. See here.
Because ticks carry or are what is called a vector for numerous diseases, you can get different tick borne diseases. And you can get these tick borne  diseases in many parts of the world as well as in all states in the US. See here.
Luckily not all ticks carry diseases. So we are lucky, also, that not all ticks carry Lyme disease. But to prevent the risk of a tick borne disease, if you are outdoors, you should always check yourself, your children and your pets for ticks. (see here)
If you do find a tick embedded in your skin remove it carefully as recommended by WebMD and put it in a plastic bag or container with a tight lid and close the bag/container securely so the tick cannot crawl out. Take the bag/container with the tick to your nearest Master Gardener Office or to your infectious disease specialist  who might be your family doctor. If your doctor is not a specialist, your doctor will tell you the name of a good physician who is.
There are some things you can do to prevent ticks on your property:
1.) Keep you grass mowed low and mow frequently.
2.) Keep plants pruned so that air and sun can circulate.
3.) Keep leaves and any plant material raked and composed or disposed.
4.) Keep you compost pile away from where people go.
5.) If you can afford it, put a deer fence around your property.
6.) If you are allowed in your community, have a few chickens and/or ducks on your property. Chickens and ducks eat ticks and other insects. (see here)
7.) Place children’s play equipment or sandbox in sunny areas- not near wooded areas.
Everybody blames the poor deer for the Lyme tick. Remember that the deer are carriers of the ticks and they do carry many ticks on their bodies because they cannot pull them out but they may be suffering from Lyme disease, too.
8.) Therefore try to keep deer off your property. (see here)
9.) Spray products that keep deer away from your plants. Spray it after each rain and spray it on your grass. The smell will keep the deer away so that engorged ticks cannot fall off in your yard. TheGardenLady uses lots of Liquid Fence for this but there are other products that are said to work.
10.) Plant plants that don’t attract deer. (see here)
11.) Plant plants that are supposed to repel ticks. Some are:
- Agastace cana
- Beautyberry
- Eucalyptus.
- Fleabane Daisy
- Garlic.
- Lavender.
- Lemongrass
- Mint
- Pennyroyal.
- Chrysanthemums with pyrethrum
- Rosemary
- Sage
- See here
12.) People criticize the deer for Lyme disease, but a worst culprit is the mouse. To eliminate ticks on mice from your property you can either make a tick bait called tick tubes or buy it already prepared at your hardware store or online. (see here)
13. ) Remember to get whatever is available to protect your pet. Your vet will advise. And always check your pet for ticks on a daily basis. A friend thinks shy got Lyme disease from her dog’s tick. And know that your pet can get Lyme disease, too. (see here)
14). Wash outdoor clothes in hot water, clean  and de-clutter indoors so that ticks cannot remain indoors.
15.) If all else fails, you can call in a professional  like this and this. These are just 2 suggestions. Of course, you can find your own professionals.
You have tick-proofed your property, so you can enjoy your summer with few worries. Have a healthy, fun summer.
To get rid of ticks we recommend using an insecticide with a low toxicity and with friendly co-formulants but with a wide spectrum of use.