Spring treatment of your property: the sequence of steps
April determines what summer at the country house will be like — and most of the work only needs to be done once.
April work on the property is dull and produces almost no immediate results, but it determines how much effort pest control will require in July. The logic is simple: in spring, you are dealing with isolated overwintered individuals; in summer, with thousands of their offspring.
A sensible sequence is as follows.
First, clean up. Last year's leaves, fallen branches, piles of plant debris, old boards, and tires provide overwintering sites and shelter. Until these are cleared, everything else is of limited value.
Then, address water. Inspect every container: cover barrels, turn unused containers upside down, clear gutters, and drain stagnant ditches. This is the only measure that actually reduces the number of mosquitoes on the property rather than merely repelling them.
Next, cut the grass. Carry out the first mowing, especially along paths, around the fence line, and in recreational areas. Ticks wait on grass up to a meter tall; a closely mown lawn is unsuitable for them.
Only then should the area be treated. Acaricide treatment against ticks is carried out once the soil has warmed and in dry weather, usually in the second half of April or early May. Do not treat the entire property indiscriminately; focus on risk areas: the perimeter, paths, recreational areas, and the boundary with woodland or wasteland.
Outbuildings require separate attention: inspect the shed, garage, and cellar for signs of rodents that sheltered there over winter, and seal any entry routes you find. In spring, this takes an hour; in autumn, it becomes a separate project.
