Natural Tick Repellant

by Annie Berthold-Bond - Care2.com "Green Living" editor

I dug deep in my herbal formula books for this recipe out of desperation, given that I live in the epicenter of the tick-generated Lyme disease epidemic.

I tested the essential oil that is recommended for ticks, Rose Geranium, by putting a few drops�?EM>no more!�?on our dogs�?collars, to see if it would repel ticks. Lo and behold, we went from 20 ticks a day on each dog, to none.

The second best essential oil for repelling ticks is
*American Pennyroyal (also called tickweed).

• 2 tablespoons vegetable or nut oil
  �?Almond Oil contains sulfur, a repellent in its own right
• 10 to 25 drops Rose Geranium essential oil

�?Combine the ingredients in a glass jar
�?Shake to blend.
�?Makes 2 tablespoons
�?Shelf Life: 6 months

Dab a few drops on your skin or clothing, making sure to avoid eyes.

*Caution

• Avoid the Pennyroyal if there is anyone pregnant (including pets) in the home, as it can induce miscarriage.
• As always, use essential oils with caution as they can burn the skin and harm eyes.
• Do not use these essential oils around cats!!!

HELPFUL HINTS:

1. Palmerosa is a sister essential oil to Rose Geranium, and also repels ticks. It is cheaper, and sometimes easier to find than Rose Geranium.
   ........
2. The Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides (NCAP) reported in their winter of 1996 Journal of Pesticide Reform that nymphal ticks are reduced from 72.7 to 100 percent when dead leaves are removed from the forest areas surrounding residential areas.