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can I have a big flower garden anymore?

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Posted 11/3/2013 6:00 AM (GMT 0)
I have been reading and thinking a ton about lyme these days.

In addition to treating myself, I am also concerned because we are currently building a house in a big yard right next to a lot of woods.

I have already decided that necessity dictates that I will essentially landscape my yard to be as tick free as possible. This means I am going to invest in having a gravel barrier put around as much of the yard as I can afford. I will also fence in as much of the yard as I can afford. I will also keep the grass low and keep me and my family within the barrier'ed area (which will be a pretty big lawn).

This is much different of an approach than I would have done even a few years ago. I used to live for years in a big yard (in another place) near woods and thankfully was okay. But my recent tick bite was a wake up call for me.

I also might find the best natural spray to spray around the yard or around the barrier (garlic spray maybe?)

But my question is, I am a big time flower gardener. Where I am temporarily living we have a small yard and I just have a few flower beds. But I was hoping to install a big flower and veggie garden in our new big yard.

But the flower garden  was going to have nice big bushy perennials and such.

Is that now a dream of the past? Are ticks just everywhere in nature now? ( I live in the northeast). Can I even have a flower garden anymore? I know I can grow some flowers and veggies if I keep it neat, but can I have a big abundant flower garden?

Can I even go into the woods at all anymore?

There are serious, not hypothetical, questions.

I used to walk in the woods all the time and now I am wondering if living near the woods is just a bad idea. Too late now for that as we already bought our property and started building.

So really I think my best bet is to really demarcate the areas of the yard we will live in, put a fence and a gravel barrier around them (do you think the gravel barrier should go inside or outside the fence or both?)

and keep our lawn mowed well.

But what about gardening? Is it even safe to garden anymore?

thank you

Posted 11/3/2013 8:18 AM (GMT 0)
I can understand where you're coming from. We have 4 acres, about 1/2 of which is wooded. I live in the NW and Lyme isn't as prevalent here yet, but it is here none the less. I have never seen a tick, but I'm leery. I was going to suggest the gravel barrier, but I see you've done the research already. Maybe you could edge some garden beds with some gravel or concrete, with no plants hanging over that area, but if you have rabbits or other animals that would go in the garden area, then it wouldn't make much sense.

You can dress to help keep them off of you by wearing long pants, tucked into socks and a long sleeved shirt with gloves that are fit snug around your wrists or gloves that to up to your elbow. Not very glamorous, but better than a tick bite. People use repellents on themselves, some made from essential oils and some use deet of course. I don't think any place is safe from ticks since they suspect birds are carriers, as well as other animals on the ground. My brother and SIL have to remove a lot of ticks from themselves and their dogs after walking them, but they've never been bit or at least never got sick if they did and didn't know it. They're in Florida and have a lot of grassy areas.

It's a shame we have to think about that now. I love to work outside and I think about that. Putting gravel down wouldn't work for us since we have moles that would dump soil onto it and forest debris would build up on it too.

Hopefully someone else who lives where there are a lot of ticks that will chime in and help you more. Enjoy watching your home go up.
Posted 11/3/2013 1:53 PM (GMT 0)
It is really a tragic state of the world where we can no longer enjoy nature-- walking in the woods, being outside, gardening, all those wonderful things, because a tiny evil thing might bite us and give us a horrible illness that we may or may not be able to cure.
Posted 11/3/2013 1:57 PM (GMT 0)
Hi! There are actual clothes you can buy with repellent in them, and are good for about 70 washes, i believe.

A member of ILADS told me that she wears them when shes out in her garden.

You can email ILADS from the website, or i can send her an email directly for you asking for more details.

Shelly
Posted 11/3/2013 5:56 PM (GMT 0)
I would say get some kind of space suit which totally covers your body. Also if you read Buhner's Healing Lyme he does recommend preventative:

LYME DISEASE PREVENTION

The primary herb for prevention is astragalus. Stephen recommends a minimum of 1,000 mg daily if you live in a lyme endemic area. This will keep the immune markers high that need to be high to prevent infection or, if you are infected, to keep the disease symptoms as minimal as possible.
Posted 11/3/2013 7:09 PM (GMT 0)
I think Stephen suggests not using astragalus if you have chronic Lyme disease.

Patty

Posted 11/3/2013 9:29 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, he does use that caution - it can make things worse.

I still have a large garden!! We do treat our yard with Bug-B-Gon (I don't receive any compensation of any kind from them) as we have a place that is just 'carved out of the woods', so we have all kinds of bugs otherwise.

When the bugs are really bad, I quite literally rub sulfur all over my body and put Pennyroyal oil on my face. I don't smell very good, but the bugs hate it too!! Of course I shower as soon as I get inside!

Don't let this experience stop you from doing the things you love!!! That would be like because someone knows what a car accident can do, they refuse to ever ride in one again. Just be sure that you protect yourself - just like when riding in a car!
Posted 11/3/2013 11:11 PM (GMT 0)
Have you considered a year-round greenhouse? The plastic/glass/acrylic panels would keep any critters out and you would have peace of mind that anything inside is "sterile".

Has anyone here used a fogger to sterilize your back yard? I used to use one for mosquitos when we hosted parties in our back yard. Maybe it can be used to sterilize your backyard from tics as well?
Posted 11/3/2013 11:27 PM (GMT 0)
I don't think anyone can keep them out of their yards completely since birds, squirrels, mice etc. could bring some back. It seems it's best to protect yourself.
Posted 11/3/2013 11:59 PM (GMT 0)
summer traveler is there something you can use if you have chronic ?
Posted 11/4/2013 2:20 AM (GMT 0)
Any immune booster really, echinacea. My herbalist hasn't seen an issue with Astragalus use that Buhner reports. I used it and did not notice a difference good or bad.

The ingredient shelly was talking about with the clothes is permethrin. It actually kills ticks.
Posted 11/5/2013 3:04 PM (GMT 0)

BarnGurl said...
summer traveler is there something you can use if you have chronic ?

Not sure what you are asking here, Barngurl. Do you mean something to use on the yard if you have chronic Lyme?

I've used the Bub-B-Gon for the last 3 or 4 years on my yard. Once it rains (or is watered in), it's completely safe for pets and children.
Posted 11/6/2013 12:52 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the yard treatment. I will look into it. We have about 4 acres but about 2 are around the house and the rest are pastureland, rolling hills etc. I was wondering if there is anything you can take that acts as a preventative.
Posted 11/6/2013 1:59 AM (GMT 0)
Buhner says that Astragulus can be taken to prevent Lyme - but it's not good to use if you have chronic Lyme.

The site where I got my Lyme treatment "recipe" from has one as well that they say will prevent Lyme, but I have no idea how well it works.

If you aren't opposed to using the chemicals, then I would say to treat around your house and be sure your pets are treated and you might not have many issues.
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