Goodbye to ticks: the remedy that will help protect your garden in summer to avoid their bites and related health complications

As summer arrives, and the fact that you’ve come to read this article, you’ll be aware that ticks are more than just a nuisance – they can spread serious diseases like Lyme and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

We all still want a way to enjoy outdoor space without worrying about them little biters, though, so I’ve scoured what the experts have had to say on the matter.

The challenge of ticks in your yard

Ticks thrive in cool, moist areas – leaf litter, tall grass, shaded borders – and sneak into our gardens on deer, rodents, and even our pets. Shrubs, stacked wood, and leaf piles are a tick’s definitions of comfy summer resorts.

Until now, your best defense was chemical pesticides or complex interventions. But there’s a simpler remedy that aligns better with garden lovers and eco-conscious families.

Steps to discourage ticks

• Keep lawn grass short and trim shrubs – sunny, dry areas are less inviting to ticks
• Clear leaf litter and brush – especially along wooded borders
• Create a 3‑ to 7‑foot mulch or gravel barrier between lawn and woods – ticks are generally unwilling to cross lava-like buffers

Items to repel ticks

• Garlic, rosemary, lavender, mint (e.g., peppermint and lemon balm), oregano, citronella/lemongrass, wormwood, marigold, catnip and geraniums all carry strong odors ticks tend to avoid.
• Tansy essential oil specifically showed 64–72% tick repellency in research

Arrange these scent shields strategically – along walkways, garden borders, patios – so ticks are pushed away before they enter active areas.

Other solutions to consider

• Consider tick tubes: cotton bait mixed with permethrin placed in mouse nests helps kill larvae on rodents.
• Invite tick-eating wildlife – free-range chickens, birds like robins and jays – while creating barrier zones near feeders and woods.
• For further peace of mind, deploy diatomaceous earth or beneficial nematodes – both pet-safe and eco-friendly.

Even with a guarded garden, at peak risk times, it’s worth doing a full tick check – on yourself, family, pets – after outdoor time. Ideally shower within two hours and inspect skin folds and clothing. But hopefully with the tips above, you’ll have a much more pleasant summer.

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