Palmerosa, a cousin of Rose Geranium, is also effective. I put just a drop or twoâno moreâof pure essential oil of rose geranium on each dogâs cloth collar every week, and it really. keeps the ticks away. Check with your vet before using essential oils on cats. Iâd still check the pets daily for ticks.
Apples are a different story. Thanks to entrepreneurial growers and a generous helping of luck, most grocery stores have a full 11 varieties in rotation (Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, McIntosh, Rome Beauty, Fuji, Jonathan, York, Gala, Idared, and Yellow Newton).
Both are readily available, but Macouns are a good substitute for the McIntosh, and Honey Crisp can be used in place of the Golden Delicious. For more on baking apple crisp, including tips from Dodge and how to add nuts or oatmeal to the topping, see Classic Recipes: Apple Crisp.