I don't like poisons, but I usually spread tick granules on my yard twice a year. I have a cyclone spreader and another hand held plastic spreader that I sometimes use. They banned the poison I used to get, so I have had a difficult time picking the poison. I read something about one of them being bad for cats, so I guess I'll use Sevin. I buy the 10 or 20 pound bags for treating lawn pests. You water it in after you spread it. Three dogs and a cat get Frontline on their backs regularly ( expensive, but worth it). It works for fleas and ticks. Ticks carry dangerous diseases. I know someone who had Lyme and she had terrible arthritis like symptoms. My father in law nearly died of rabbit fever many years ago. You can reduce the ticks in your yard by treating your pets. Cut your grass and keep the brush cleared. They say that rodents are a part of the problem with the "deer tick" , so maybe control of rodents might help. I have not treated my yard this year and haven't had a problem in my yard. I don't even go out in the fields this time of year because of the tiny ticks. Ticks were terrible in May when I was trying to spray thistles in the fields.

some friends of ours moved back to nw arkansas last fall,they fought the ticks and finally gave up and got chickens--yes, the chickens run loose and they sent pictures of two on the front porch (and also a picture their 4 year old drew of a chicken), BUT their ticks were gone IN NO TIME!!!!
also guineas will help and they will take care of snakes,
if you were further south i'd say peacocks for the same results!!

I wasn't sure if chickens would eat the ticks as well as the guineas or not,I may have to get chickens instead. I did not think about the peacocks. Neighbor up the road has peacocks. They drove me crazy with the hollering. I remember waking up one morning to find one in a tree outside the bedroom. They can holler really loud. I think I will pass on those, but thanks anyway. LOL.
TJ

yep, chickens love ticks AND the front porch!!!!

Your ticks may be gone if you have free range chickens , but so may your flowerbeds ! We had chickens that loved to scratch and wallow in the flowerbeds . I started just letting them out rather late in the day . They always went back into their pen in the evening .