Gardening

To repel from you:
DEET or permethrin. Use carefully.

Plants to plant:
https://www.pestguides.com/diy-homemade-natural-tick-repellent-recipes/

Plants and herbs that repel bugs, ticks, fleas and rodents

If you are an avid gardener, plant the following herbs and plants in your garden to keep your yard free of ticks and other bugs:

Anise
Basil
Calendula
Catnip
Garlic
Geranium
Hyssop
Mint
Mugwort
Pennyroyal
Pyrethrum
Chrysanthemum
Feverfew
Thyme
Wormwood
Yarrow
Lavender
Marigold

Other aromatics:
People have listed all kinds of oils.
I can't verify, but they might work, and smell nice as well.

Two suggestions.
Do avoid tall grass, deer ( they seem to have covid as well, in large percentage) etc.
https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/avoid/in_the_yard.html
Good ideas here.
Create a Tick-safe Zone


Have someone else check body areas you can't see.

I have a tick key but fortunately have not had to use it. In most sporting goods sections, I think.
https://tickkey.com/


CDC says:
https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/removing_a_tick.html
Avoid folklore remedies such as “painting” the tick with nail polish or petroleum jelly, or using heat to make the tick detach from the skin. Your goal is to remove the tick as quickly as possible–not waiting for it to detach

Both CDC pages link to pdf files with more info.

HTH