The thought of disease-carrying parasites might prompt you to consider tick-repellent plants for your garden beds. Because they are tiny, the blood-sucking arachnids cling to humans and animals, which is not only annoying but also a health hazard. Ticks are in peak season in spring and summer, and they pose a particularly serious threat to inhabited garden areas. Fortunately, nature has also provided antidotes that are repellent to some such arthropods. So if you want to reduce the risk of being bitten by a tick, you might consider growing the following types of plants.
Are there anti-tick plants that act as a repellent?
When temperatures rise and soil is damp, pests spread quickly and tick bites become more common. The logical preventive measure is to only enter green areas with protective clothing, but this is not always possible. A better strategy would be to add as repellent flora to the garden as possible with anti-tick plants. This could drive the mite species out of your area for the time being, although extracts from such plants are also suitable as skin protection agents. You can apply these to your body or contribute to the better ecosystem by planting more of them. So you will not only beautify your garden area, but also deter bugs, fleas, flies and ticks, which are common pests.
How can certain types of plants repel ticks?
The essential oils present in abundance in some plants, as well as toxins such as nicotine from the tobacco plant, are repellent to some pests. Such plant varieties often have a strong flavor and aroma, with scent being a distinctive trait that people like and ticks despise. In addition, some species of trees, herbs, and shrubs produce powerful chemicals as a defense mechanism to deter animals from eating them. In addition, you can also keep insects or parasites such as ticks in check in this way.
Before you discover the best 3 plants against ticks
Another advantage of such plants is their strong effect against pathogens. This is because some plant varieties have antimicrobial, antifungal and antiparasitic properties, making them the perfect natural tick repellent. For example, Lyme disease is a dreaded disease that can be contracted from a tick bite. Of course, you don’t have to spend the beautiful spring and summer season indoors just to avoid such dangers. Instead, try decorating your yard with useful anti-tick plants to help you spend more time outdoors. Here are 3 of the best and most suitable plant varieties to consider.
Grow anti-tick plants together with lavender
A close relative of mint, lavender produces attractive purple flowers and produces an irresistible scent. The small-leaved lavender, which is drought tolerant and easy to care for, is particularly suitable as an effective defensive plant. In addition, like peppermint oil from mint, lavender essential oil can be used mainly as a repellent against many insects and parasites.
Thanks to its aroma, lavender is also suitable as a kitchen herb and is also added to room fresheners. Lavender flowers are also a common ingredient in many cosmetic products, although they are not recommended for facial dermatitis (eczema). Ingesting lavender can also cause nausea and vomiting in pets. For this reason, it would make sense to combine the plant with other plants to prevent any risks.
Keep ticks away with catnip
The intense aroma of catnip also helps deter ticks in the garden. You could also use it to keep mosquitoes and cockroaches away. It is a low-growing plant variety that is easy to care for and easy to grow. The essential oil extracted from catnip flowers contains a chemical compound called nepetalactone, which makes such plants effective against ticks and insects.
In addition, scientists assume that this substance contained in catnip is ten times more effective than the chemical insect repellent diethyltoluamide. When crushed and dried, catnip can be rubbed on the fur of pets, such as cats, to deter ticks. Just remember that cats love this smell and thus the plant has the ability to attract cats.
Why rosemary is one of the most common plants against ticks
A popular culinary herb, the fragrant rosemary is also an excellent eco-friendly way to repel ticks and fleas. Its equally intense aroma would accordingly be enough to repel vampiric parasites such as ticks, aphids, mites and flies by simply scattering sprigs around the garden. The strong and earthy smell of the herbal plant is also obtained thanks to an essential oil that rosemary produces in large quantities.
In addition, growing and caring for rosemary is easy since the herb can be grown from a cutting of the plant. So you don’t necessarily have to start it directly from seed. Furthermore, rosemary is weather resistant and can be planted in hot and dry areas. Build the plants in garden areas where you and your children or pets often are to keep those pesky parasites away. When dogs or cats brush the bushes, their fur is coated with essential oils of rosemary. This would allow additional protection by such plants against ticks.