Skip The Oils And Traps: Help Keep Ticks Out Of Your Yard With A Natural Solution

According to research conducted by Johns Hopkins, 90% of all diseases brought about by bites in the United States, such as Lyme disease and alpha-gal syndrome, are caused by ticks. That percentage is reason enough to want to keep ticks away from your body – and your yard. While chemicals like permethrin and DEET are some of the best herbicides for killing ticks, you might want to skip the sprays and oils altogether in favor of a more natural solution: filling your yard with plants ticks supposedly hate.

In an interview published by the Global Lyme Alliance, Dr. Nevena Zubcevik, former Chief Medical Officer of Invisible International, explained that many beautiful plants may help repel ticks. She states that planting rosemary, mint, garlic, marigolds, and wormwood can be effective at keeping ticks out of your yard. Notably, she says, "Tick-repelling plants are a natural, aesthetic way to make our gardens less hospitable to ticks and the wildlife that carries them. This method complements other preventive measures, creating safer outdoor spaces for everyone." But why is this?

The strong, pungent scents created by the volatile oils present in the aforementioned plants are what help keep tick-carrying animals like deer, and maybe ticks themselves, at bay. However, it is worth pointing out that this is anecdotal evidence. There is currently no strong scientific research proving that the incorporation of any of these plants is going to be enough on its own to fully keep ticks from entering your yard.

While it might not be as effective as a DIY spray made with geranium oil, which is an overlooked but highly effective tick repellent, planting some strongly scented plants in your yard is nevertheless worth trying as part of a broader system that can help keep ticks out of your yard. When paired with other landscaping tricks, the repellent plants can add an extra line of defense.

As Dr. Nevena Zubcevik mentioned to Global Lyme Alliance, using plants like lavender, garlic, rosemary, chrysanthemum, and geranium in your yard can help prevent ticks thanks to their strong scents. They will work best as barrier borders to your garden. You can make a bed filled with companionable plants, such as garlic and rosemary, as a way to keep deer, rabbits, and potentially ticks themselves out of the garden. Geranium is particularly good against tick-carrying rabbits, but keep in mind, it can be toxic to household pets like dogs.

You can pair the strongly scented plants alongside other border materials, such as rocks or wood chips, which will create a dry-zone that ticks don't like to cross. You should also mow your grass regularly to eliminate the tall grass that ticks like to hide in. Clean up your leaves, prune shrubs, and don't plant too much ground cover, as well. Overall, while aromatic plants themselves might only be somewhat effective, they could be great for additional defense in keeping ticks out of your yard without the need for chemicals or essential oils.