Ticks are a small parasite that originally lives in fields and wooded areas. This makes our backyards a perfect ground for them to thrive, as they can find the shelter and source of blood they need from humans and animals to survive.
One of the best ways to get rid of those ticks is by guarding your yard with plants that repel the little bloodsuckers. Luckily, there are some plants that naturally deter ticks and fend them off your backyard.
But first, if you want to know all the nasty things that ticks can do to you, your kids, and your beloved pets, you can click here to scroll down the page to find out.
12 Plants that Repel Ticks
Here are 12 of the most effective (and pretty) tick repelling plants to help keep your backyard happy!
WARNING!!! If you are a dog owner please do not plant Fleabane or Pennyroyals as they are considered toxic to man’s best friend.
Lavender
Lavenders have an amazing fragrance and stunning beauty with their rich purplish colors complementing your yard. The smell comes from the essential oils of the lavender.
However, this smell isn’t as welcomed by ticks, mosquitoes, and other insects as us. According to research, this smell has a repellent effect on them. The plant is easy to maintain and only needs sun exposure for 6 to 8 hours daily in mild climates.
Unless you, your family, or pets are allergic to lavender, there’s nothing that stops you from having the wonderful plant in your yard to keep the tick away in style
Marigold
While marigolds don’t have a significant smell and are generally safe around humans and animals.
However, ticks, nematodes, and other parasites are highly irritated by them. Some research also showed that they’re able to fend off parasites and carriers of diseases like malaria, yellow fever, and rift valley fever.
They’re amazingly beautiful with their unique yellow-orange round flowers. Also, they’re one of the best plants to grow in terms of maintenance, as they’re extremely hardy plants that’ll grow in just about any regular weather.
Beautyberry
As the name suggests, these pretty and bushy plants have mesmerizing purple and green berries that make them amazing looking for your yard.
However, some strains of these berries are considered poisonous although many people claim that it’s a tradition to eat them in the south.
According to the Department of Agriculture, this plant is almost as good as DEET in repelling some pests, such as black-legged ticks and some mosquitoes.
Beautyberry grows in all kinds of soils and various weather conditions. However, rich soils with plenty of sun and water is an added plus because they make the prettiest looking plants.
Garlic
Garlic is notorious for its smell, so no wonder why other pests would hate that too. If you don’t mind the smell of garlic in your backyard, garlic is an excellent plant to grow.
While you can use it as crushed cloves and sprinkle them into your garden, you can also rely on them repelling insects and ticks as it is.
Due to their strong smell, you won’t have to worry about your pets munching on them anytime soon.
However, even if that happens, garlic is, in fact, one of the healthiest plants with tons of various health benefits.
It’s extremely easy to maintain, and you can keep the garlic in the yard for a long time. Moreover, you’ll have a consistent source of garlic for tasty dishes!
Pennyroyal (Toxic For Dogs!!!)
Pennyroyal is an amazingly beautiful plant. It has the ability to fend off ticks and mosquitoes with its minty odor. It’s also extremely safe and is used in teabags.
They require little maintenance and they grow quickly to the point that you need to clip them off consistently.
Keep in mind that Pennyroyals are considered toxic for dogs.
Sage
If you’re among the lucky few who find the smell of sage pleasant, having them in your yard will be an added plus.
They’re popular for their deterrent effects that work with ticks, mosquitoes, and fleas. The plant is an excellent cooking herb that goes into tons of delicious recipes.
Moreover, it’s non-toxic for cats and dogs, so you don’t have to worry about your wandering pets in the yard!
Thyme
Thyme is the source of one of the extremely popular essential oils that are used in repelling insects and ticks as well as curing bacterial and fungal infections.
It might not look particularly impressive, but it has a significant and unique odor that a lot of people link to spicy mint but more agreeable, such as the ones you find in mouthwashes. Thyme is also safe for pets and humans and has been used in medici
Lemongrass
Another versatile and easy to maintain option that you should consider is having lemongrass in your yard.
These plants don’t look good, but they don’t look bad either. However, they’re the natural source of citronella, which is a natural insect repellent oil.
Luckily, you can also use this wonderful plant to repel those disgusting blood-engorged ticks of your yard. These plants are also used as food condiments, as they’re added to multiple recipes and soups.
You should keep in mind that lemongrass can cause some stomach upsets in pregnant women, as well as dogs and cats.
Mint
Who doesn’t love the smell of fresh mints in the early mornings! Whether it’s spearmint or peppermint, having these lush and vibrant green plants in your yard is always a plus.
Not only will it keep you lingering in the garden to enjoy the fresh smell, but it’ll also keep the ticks and other mosquitoes away!
Of course, mints are safe and healthy for children, and it’s relatively safe for pets too. However, dogs are only allowed to eat a few leaves per day. So, keep that in mind.
Rosemary
Rosemary is a popular herb that goes in many dishes. It also doubles as a great soothing tea to help you calm down and sleep. But did you know that it also repels tons of pests including ticks?
The plant has a uniquely beautiful look that adds an aesthetic touch to your yard. It’s also generally safe for most pets, so you don’t have to worry about that.
You can use it as it is to repel ticks or crush its dried flowers into powder and sprinkle them on your pet’s coat.
Chrysanthemums
Chrysanthemums might have a difficult name, but they’re much easier to grow. This plant is wonderfully vibrant in yellow and red large flowers.
However, it contains “pyrethrum”, which is a natural neurotoxin that’s currently present in many natural insecticides that kill anything from ticks to fleas and insects. The good news is, it’s non-toxic to humans and most pets except fish and amphibians.
Although it’s highly unlikely that your pets might eat them, it can cause some mild vomiting and diarrhea to dogs and cats.
Fleabane Daisy (Toxic For Dogs!!!)
As you might’ve guessed, the Fleabane daisy is mainly used to repel fleas. However, it can also help in keeping ticks and other insects away from your yard. It has a beautiful appearance with pinkish-white petals and bright yellow disks, which makes them perfect for your backyard garden.
WARNING!!!! It’s important that you get it from a reputable florist, as they’re easily confused with similar-looking plants, such as the true daisy and the aster daisy. You should also be aware that Fleabane is toxic to dogs.
Some Extra Tips to Keep Your Yard Tick-Free
In addition to the plants, you can also try these simple tricks to keep your yard happy and tick-free!
Essential Oil
If you’re looking for a way to make your garden smell extra pleasant and keep the ticks away, you can use essential oils. Ideally, you want to sprinkle essential oils similar or complementing the plant you have.
Consider Tick Eaters
If you don’t mind having a pet chicken or two in your backyard, you hire those tick eaters to catch these pesky and disgusting ticks for you.
Mow Your Lawn
Ticks love to hang out in safe spots with tall grass. That’s why unmowed lawns are usually riddled with small ticks.
By mowing your lawn you’ll deprive them of their natural hideouts, which encourage them to look somewhere else for shelter.
Diatomaceous Earth
Ticks just hate “Diatomaceous Earth”. When they walk on it, it sticks to their bodies and slips into their internal organs. It’s like swimming in glass shards to them, which kills them in a short time.
Luckily, Diatomaceous Earth is safe for pets, as it’s a food additive to them. Also, there isn’t enough data that it causes more than rare allergies to children.
Why Ticks Are a Danger to Your Family & Pets
The Danger of Ticks to Your Family
Finding those blood-engorged ticks in your kids’ scalp after a long day of playing in the yard is a real drag. However, ticks bites themselves aren’t harmful and won’t cause problematic symptoms on their own. It’s the diseases that they can pass through their bites that can pose threats to your loved ones and pets. These bites can cause serious diseases and even deadly ones.
Here are some of the diseases that can pass to humans through tick bites.
Lyme Disease
Among all the dangerous diseases that ticks can transfer, Lyme disease is the most prevalent. This one is an infectious disease that comes from specific bacteria that live inside ticks, especially deer ticks and black-legged ticks.
When these ticks bite the skin, these bacteria are transmitted into the bloodstream causing illness of varying severity.
Among the common symptoms of the Lyme disease are:
- Circular red flat rash spot somewhere on the body
- Intense fatigue and muscle aches
- Pain and swelling in joints
- Headaches
- Fever and insomnia
- Flu-like symptoms (especially for children)
Babesiosis
This one is an infection by a small parasite called “Babesia”, which causes a malaria-like infection. This one is transmitted via specific ticks that are common in the midwestern and northeastern regions in the United States.
Babesiosis in children causes flu-like symptoms. In addition to a high fever, you might notice chills, severe fatigue, and pain in joints and muscles.
Unfortunately, some dangerous complications of the disease can reach a severe drop in blood pressure as well as liver, kidney, and heart failure.
Tularemia
Tularemia is an infectious disease that is most commonly transmitted through wild rodents and birds. However, it can also pass through ticks that came in contact with these infected animals.
It’s caused by a bacterium known as “Francisella tularensis”, hence the name. Although this disease is quite rare, it quickly progresses into a life-threatening condition if it’s left untreated.
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
The Rock Mountain Spotted Fever is also caused by bacteria that can be transmitted by an infected tick bite. It’s one of the most dangerous tick-related infections in the United States.
The disease progresses quickly in a sudden high fever accompanied by a rash, vomiting, and abdominal cramps. The disease can also cause severe damage to the kidneys and the liver, so it needs to be treated with antibiotics right away.
Allergies
Some people also react badly to tick bites in which these bites cause intense allergic reactions. These allergies can range from a minor skin rash that’s self-limited.
However, some severe forms of allergies can go all the way to serious anaphylactic shocks. These life-threatening allergic reactions block the respiratory airways and drop the blood pressure significantly.
The Danger of Ticks to Your Pets
Not only humans are always in danger of being around ticks all the time. In fact, the curious nature of our pets and their thick hair coats makes them more prone to ticks dangers.
All the previous diseases can be also transmitted to pets if they’re bitten by an infected tick. This especially includes Canine Lyme Disease and Canine Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Infected dogs might show unusual fatigue as well as feverish signs.
Dogs are far more prone to ticks than cats because they aren’t able to reach some parts of their bodies. On the other hand, cats can easily scratch them off their skin once they feel a bite.
Pets can also be a source of ticks that bite your children, especially if you allow your dogs in bed with you or your kids like me.
If your dog always suffers from blood parasites, it’s most likely coming from continuous exposure to ticks in the backyard. By eliminating this problem, you’ll save yourself a ton of money and worry!
Wrap Up
There you have it. A complete guide with everything you need to know about the dangers of ticks to your families and pets.
By applying some of the pretty options in this article, you’ll be able to enjoy a vibrant garden that’s amazingly beautiful and free of those annoying and dangerous ticks!