8 Natural Methods for Banishing Ticks from Your Garden
Ticks can be dangerous, carrying diseases that can harm you or your family. Ticks might be small, but the health problems they can carry are not small. Lyme disease happens to be one of the most common infections carried by ticks, potentially causing fevers, headaches and other symptoms. Lyme disease can last for years, causing dozens of side effects.
You don’t have to be walking through the woods or playing in trees to have a tick bite you. It can happen in your backyard or garden. You don’t think to check yourself or your children. Then, the tick stays attached for a few days! Nothing is more horrifying than finding a tick on your child days later.
Luckily, there are natural ways to reduce the tick population in your garden and yard. Of course, it is impossible to eliminate them totally. Ticks are natural and move freely in our world. However, a combination of these methods should reduce the population down in your area.
8 Natural Ways to Get Rid of Ticks in Your Garden
1. Keep the Grass Mowed
Tall grass is a favorite spot for ticks to hang out, so keeping your grass short is smart. Ticks are less likely to spend time in tall brush rather than an upkept yard. You also want to prune shrubs to allow more sunlight. Damp areas attract ticks as well.
2. More Sunlight than Shade
You can’t control how much sun there is on any given day, but you can control how much sunlight accesses your property and garden. Pruning back your trees and cutting stray limbs is a great start. Maximizing sunlight is beneficial for your yard and garden. Ticks love areas with high moisture, and abundant sunshine will soak up all the moisture!
3. Pick Up Trash and Debris
Removing all of the litter in your yard reduces the areas that ticks might live. Ticks love decomposing leaves spread throughout your yard. Don’t leave piles of grass clippings throughout your yard. Instead, rake and scoop them up. You can add them to your compost pile!
Ticks can find any pile and make it their home. Sticks and logs are another choice. Keep trash in a locked container. Raccoons, rodents and other trash diggers harbor ticks and will bring them to your property. If you maintain your garden area nicely, ticks will stay at bay.
4. Stop Other Animals From Coming In
Animals are hosts for ticks. Deer happen to be the most common host for ticks, carrying them from place to place. It is a good idea to work towards keeping these animals off of your property. A fence is the best fix, but it will cost you money, especially if the area is large.
You have to make sure you create the right barrier as well. Deer can jump, so your fence should be around eight feet tall. Thorny bushes also deter them from trying to scale the fence. Make sure there aren’t any gaps. Rabbits, rodents, and raccoons can squeeze their way into gaps.
Another effective method is to plant deer-repellant plants around your garden. These plants typically have a strong fragrance or disturbing texture. Lavender is one of the most effective and popular picks. Lupines, bellflowers, echinacea, and foxglove are also popular picks.
