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Summer brings warm weather, outdoor fun, and, unfortunately, tick and flea season. These insects are irritating, and finding a tick or flea on your cat, dog, or worse, yourself, is an unpleasant experience.
Getting rid of ticks and fleas in your yard can be challenging. Fortunately, there are several plants you can grow to help repel these unwelcome guests and keep your yard pest-free. Here are some effective plants that naturally deter ticks and fleas.
Rosemary
Rosemary is a popular culinary herb that is great for cooking meals. Its strong fragrance is a natural pest and bug deterrent, keeping ticks and fleas away from your garden.
How to Propagate and Grow Rosemary from Cuttings
Lavender
Lavender is a beautiful, rich purple color with a comforting scent. It adds beauty and fragrance to your garden and acts as a natural tick and flea repellent. Lavender thrives in a sunny spot and can be grown in pots.
18 Fragrant Flowers That Will Make Your Garden Smell Amazing
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus plants have some of the most amazing scents, medicinal uses, and the ability to repel ticks and fleas. Plant them strategically around your yard or in pots near outdoor living areas, and crush leaves occasionally to release a burst of scent.
Basil
Like rosemary, basil is a perfect herb for cooking and also efficiently repels ticks and fleas. Place this plant near the patio, deck, or any other outdoor space.
Catnip
While attractive to cats and invasive in the garden, catnip keeps ticks and fleas away. Catnip is effective in borders, herb gardens, and as ground cover, repelling common garden pests with its fragrance. It thrives in full sun to light shade and well-drained soil. Once established, it is drought-tolerant. Trim midseason to refresh the plant.
Garlic
Grown for its culinary and medicinal use, garlic is an essential perennial vegetable to grow in your homestead garden. The mere scent of garlic will keep the ticks and fleas away.
How to Grow Garlic: A Year’s Supply
Lemongrass
Lemongrass is known for its high citral content, which makes it an effective ingredient for repelling ticks and fleas. Lemongrass is perfect for planting around patios or seating areas.
Rue
The rue plant is a hardy perennial herb known for its bluish-green, fern-like foliage and clusters of small, yellow flowers that bloom in the summer. This herb has a strong, repulsive scent to ticks and fleas but is attractive to beneficial insects like butterflies. Rue prefers full sun and well-drained soil. It is ideal for zones 4-9, where it can thrive with limited care.
Thyme
The oil released from crushed thyme leaves is effective in repelling ticks and fleas.
How to Dry Fresh Thyme – 5 Methods
Marigold
Marigold plants are bountiful, rich, colorful flowers that can repel ticks and fleas. These hardy flowers are easy to grow and require full sun to bloom. Incorporating these flowers into your garden bed will beautify your space and help keep pests away.
Why Marigolds Deserve a Spot in Your Garden Year After Year
Sage
While sage is a great herb to keep on hand to add flavor to homemade dishes, it is also perfect for keeping ticks and fleas at bay.
Peppermint
While many use mint for morning tea or evening mojito cocktails, ticks and fleas dislike its powerful, refreshing scent. The strong scent of mint, particularly peppermint, masks the pheromone trails that fleas and ticks use to locate their hosts.
How to Get Rid of Ticks in Your Yard Without Pesticides
Here are some effective strategies to eliminate ticks from your yard. Each method is designed to target different stages of the tick life cycle, offering options for both immediate relief and long-term prevention.
How to Get Rid of Ticks in Your Yard Without Pesticides
24 Fun Backyard Entertainment Ideas Everyone Will Love
With a little creativity and some elbow grease, you can turn your backyard into a haven for relaxation and enjoyment with these backyard entertainment ideas. Here are 25 Fun Backyard Entertainment Ideas.
25 Fun Backyard Entertainment Ideas
How to Start a Herb Garden from Scratch
Growing something as simple as our own herbs is a huge step towards sustainability. You can begin the process in a small space in the kitchen or backyard with some of your favorite herbs. Here are some simple but practical steps to get you started on your own herb garden.
