Follow these steps:
1) remove as much of the tick habitat as possible. Any low to the ground brush. If possible, do a controled burn. If that is not possible, do spot burns. If that is not possible, cut and mulch with a weed trimmer / lawn mower. Move all brush to a safe burn spot or bag and dispose.
2) rake the tick infested area and burn dispose of the rubbish. Remove any ticks from all pets, clothing, and even in the house.
3) use a garden hose sprayer (hand pump sprayers do not work well) with the pesticide Permethrin. You can often find these in garden shops / hardware stors. Start by spraying around the house and work outwards. Give it a good soak. Might take a lot of spray for your area.
4) work you way over to the tick infested area. Spray to about 24 inches in height. If there is any brush left (around trees) spray both top down an bottom up. Dont forget to spray EVERYTHING ... lamp posts, mail boxes, fences, trees etc.
5) Keep your pets indoors for 2 days during and following the spraying.
6) Before letting your pet back outdoors, use Frontline Topspot according to directions.
7) On day three post-spray, lay down lawn insecticide grandules. Heavy two feet around the house, normal in the yard, heavy 2 foot wide path seperating you from the tick infested area. normal in the tick infested area
8) let sit for 2 weeks, then repeat steps 3 though 7.
Should kill ticks for a season in heavy infested areas. May kill for the entire year. Normally has to be repeated every year for most high tick concentrations. In a low tick area or after a hard freeze, may remove the threat for several years.
Also, be sure to check your house for ticks. Fog bombing works well to eliminate most ticks in the house. Wash all clothing and blankets and have and call an exterminator if you find any ticks in the house.
Holy cow. That’s a lot of work. (Yes, I want to get rid of the ticks.) The only thing separating the house from the ticks is a 6 foot wide wooden deck and stone path along the length of the back of the house. Will Permethrin poison the water supply or kill the flowers & plants? With so many trees, it’s nearly impossible to keep up with the leaves. If I stay on top of those, will that help some? We’ll have several hard freezes here in Fort Worth.