Most pets enjoy playing and relaxing in the backyard. Sadly, time spent outdoors comes at a cost known as infestations of ticks and fleas. These parasites can also affect human beings and cause health problems, such as Lyme disease. Fortunately, you can grow certain plants in your backyard that are effective at keeping ticks away. Some of these additions to the backyard can also enhance the beauty of the garden.
Rosemary
The fragrant herb contains a naturally occurring compound called terpinolene that makes rosemary a natural tick repellent. The plant can also keep mites, flies, and aphids away.
Pennyroyal
Apart from beautifying your garden, Pennyroyals have a pungent odor that ticks and fleas detest. As a result, they will steer clear of the backyard.
Wormwood
Wormwood, also used as an ornamental plant, has a bitter taste which is known to repel disease-causing parasites.
Rue
Rue has a beautiful blue-green leaf structure and produces compounds hated by ticks. The plant’s leaves also serve as a strong disinfectant that can deter fleas when rubbed on a dog’s fur.
Lavender
The oil of lavender disturbs the olfactory sensors and makes it difficult for the blood-sucking parasite to find hosts.
Citronella grass
Citronella grass gives other plants a significant amount of cover in the backyard. The plant also has a natural lemon fragrance that blood-sucking pests detest.
Marigold
Besides enhancing the overall look of your garden, marigold can also drive away ticks with its odor.
Chrysanthemums
Chrysanthemums produce a natural chemical called pyrethrum. The concentration of this chemical attacks the nervous system of ticks, fleas, and mosquitos.
Garlic
This plant has a strong odor because of its sulfur composition. So, when you plant garlic in your backyard, the smell of the compound will repel unwanted pests.
Thyme
Thyme gives off a sweet lemon smell that one can enjoy while cooking. Fortunately, when planted in a garden, the same fragrance can do wonders and keep ticks away.
Treatments for fleas and ticks
While these plants can help repel most fleas and ticks, some may still latch on to your pets. In such cases, treatments to eliminate these infestations can help.
Simparica, Trifexis, and NexGard are brands that make chewable tablets to protect pets from ticks & fleas. Furthermore, Elanco’s Advantage® products help prevent flea development in dogs and cats. Bayer’s K9 Advantix II is a topical solution to repel parasites and mosquitoes that irritate dogs. Products from Frontline® are also suitable to rid pets of such infestations.