Plants to avoid: Keeping ticks out of your garden
Ticks are unwelcome visitors whose presence in the garden can pose a threat to the health of both people and animals. Certain plants may attract these arachnids, creating ideal conditions for them to thrive. Discover which plants to avoid planting in your garden to minimise the risk of their presence.
Ticks prefer moist and shady environments. Dense shrubs, tall grasses, and low-hanging tree branches can encourage their presence. Ticks often hide among leaves, lying in wait for a potential host.
Which plants attract ticks? Plants such as ferns, ivy, hazel, blackberry, and elderberry can provide convenient hiding spots. Ticks can also reside in ground cover plants because these create a favourable environment. However, if you do not wish to forgo these plants, proper care will be essential.
How to avoid ticks in the garden?
Proper garden maintenance can help reduce the number of ticks. Regularly mowing the grass and trimming shrubs are basic actions that can help limit their presence. During the spring and summer months, if it's not too hot, it's best to mow the lawn at least once every two weeks. Don't forget to use tick-repelling products before spending time outdoors.
Certain plants may repel ticks. Lavender, rosemary, eucalyptus, mint, lemongrass, and medical rosemary are examples of plants whose scents can deter these arachnids from inhabiting your garden. Ticks also dislike plants such as onions, garlic, horseradish, thyme, and wormwood. Incorporating these into your garden can be a natural way to reduce the presence of ticks. It's beneficial to combine different species to create an effective scent barrier.
How to remove ticks from the garden?
In addition to planting tick-repelling plants, other methods can help keep these arachnids away. Diatomaceous earth is a natural agent that can be spread in the garden to discourage ticks from settling. Alternatively, chemical preparations can be used, but it's worth considering ecological alternatives that are safer for the environment.
