You have no idea how grateful I am to finally found the right plants that repel ticks from my garden. These little suckers, literally, have been causing a nuisance to not only my dogs but also me. I am not sure if the myth that people with blood O type are prone to bloodsucking bugs than others is true. However, I experienced it and I did not like it at all. So if you are facing the same dreadful situation like I was, these are the herbs and plants to repel them. The results show within a week, and you will not have to deal with this problem ever again.
10 Herbs & Plants That Repel Ticks
1. Beautyberry
Looking good while working great as tick repellents, beautyberry is one of the effective plants that repel ticks to grow. You can plant them around the house because their leaves are the parts that repel insects. On top of that, this plant is a great weapon in the wild to use when you go camping. In fact, it is not only effective against ticks but also mosquitos and fire ants. These 3 are the sworn enemies of campers and hikers in the wild, and beautyberry is the repellent for those.
2. Chrysanthemums
These are the flowering plants that come with both beauty and power to banish fleas and ticks from your property. Chrysanthemums are natural pesticides that can shut down the nervous system of those pestering insects on the spot. This is why fleas and ticks prefer to stay away as far as possible from chrysanthemums. These flowering plants come in several different colors that you can plant such as orange, pink, purple, and yellow. They have big colorful sphere bulbs that look great in the garden or around the house. However, make sure that your pets don’t eat them because they can cause diarrhea and vomiting.
3. Garlic
Garlic is one of the herbs that repel ticks, or even people if you eat them enough. Jokes aside, garlic has a very strong and unpleasant odor that ticks and other insects don’t like. Garlic doesn’t smell if they sit safely under their skin, so you have to crush them to turn them into repellents. Crush garlic cloves and toss them around the gardens or yard and other places that you think ticks live in. This useful herb will spread its strong aroma which will repel ticks in no time. You can also mix crushed garlic cloves with water and spray the mix on objects to keep ticks away. It can be smelly at first, but it is better than having ticks around.
4. Lavender
Lavender is not only beautiful but also helpful as one of the plants that repel ticks from the property. At the same time, lavender also smells great while being a triple threat to keep pests away. This purple flower is a great plant choice to have in the garden and around the house. It repels ticks as well as mosquitos and moths by just naturally emitting its strong refreshing scent into the atmosphere. This charming flower is easy to plant and take care of, and its beauty is a great compliment as well.
5. Lemongrass
Even some of my friends don’t like the scent of lemongrass, and no doubt why ticks hate it also. You can burn lemongrass candles, plant lemongrass, or spray lemongrass solution in areas where ticks and fleas are common. It is very convenient and easy, and its effectiveness also shows quickly. Lemongrass has an extremely strong smell that ticks absolutely hate and avoid. With lemongrass around the house or in the garden will help reduce or eliminate tick population very effectively. If you plant them, make sure that your pets don’t try to it them because lemongrass can cause an upset stomach.
6. Mint
You don’t have to always go for herbs with a strong odor to repel ticks because mint can also do the job. Mints have a beautiful aroma that is pleasant to humans but unpleasant to insects like mosquitos, ticks, and others. You can plant them in pots and place them on your porch or around the yard. This is to ensure that they can spread that aroma around the areas to keep unwanted insects away. And of course, you will also get an extra ingredient to use in your food as well. It is a win, and mints are very easy to care for which is a total plus.
7. Pennyroyal
Belongs to the mint family, pennyroyal is one of the natural tick repellents that is beneficial for you. Just like mints, pennyroyal also has a strong scent that repels ticks as well as mosquitos. These two bugs don’t like the scent from pennyroyal so they avoid coming nearby the area. You can plant it around the house or in areas where mosquitos and ticks are common. The only downside is that these beautiful plants grow easily and spread fast which can be too much. You can plant them in pots so that they won’t grow in unwanted places, and that looks neat too.
8. Rosemary
Being one of the most delicate herbs is one thing, but having the ability to repel ticks is another amazing thing. Rosemary is so effective that a little bit of spraying is enough to keep ticks from coming anywhere near your property. On top of that, this herb can create a barrier on your pet’s coat with a simple rub. The moment your pets have the scent of rosemary on them, ticks will remain their distance too.
9. Sage
This is a perennial herb that is common among herbs and plants that repel ticks. On top of that, its odor is strong enough to be able to keep other insects like mosquitos away. You can plant them in pots or gardens, and they look very nice due to their green color. Sage is non-toxic and safe for pets like cats and dogs, so it is another choice to have in mind.
10. Thyme
Rosemary, sage, and thyme are all the plants that repel ticks and probably other insects and pests. You can plant thymes in a pot and place them where there is ventilation for the aroma to circulate around. Red thyme contains carvacrol which is effective at repelling ticks when used on clothing or skin. In case you go camping or hiking, apply thyme oil to prevent ticks from attacking you. It can be irritating to people with sensitive skin, so make sure to give it a test first.
Homemade Tick Repellents
One of the easiest and simplest ways to repel ticks is by scent, and you can make those repellents too. There are some effective homemade tick repellents from ingredients and items around the house that you might want to try. I have some of the great homemade tick repellents to recommend today, so let’s see if you like them.
1. Apple Cedar Vinegar
Many of us have apple cedar vinegar sitting somewhere in the cupboard, and it is a great tick repellent. Mix 2 cups of water with 4 tablespoons of apple cedar vinegar and 2 tablespoons of organic neem oil. You can spray this solution on clothing, lawn furniture, and skin without any irritation or side effects at all. This mix is also a great option to bring along with you if you go camping or hiking. It is safe to spray it on different objects, and it is easy to bring along with and use.
2. Aromatherapy Essential Oils
Ticks hate the smell of cinnamon, lavender, lemon, orange, peppermint, and rose geranium, and all you need is one among those. You can either rub or spray the essential oil of your choice on your skin to keep ticks away. They avoid latching on you or anything that smells like one of those scents above. According to Farmer’s Almanac, 100% certified organic essential oil will work best in this remedy.
Spray is not the only homemade tick repellent that is compact and portable, roll-on repellent works great too. You will need a mini bottle with a ball stopper that you can easily use to rub on your skin. Normally, this method is to apply to areas such as behind your ears, ankles, lower legs, necks, and wrists. There are many different recipes to create your tick repellents, and Living Well Mom can totally help with those.
3. Cedar Oil Spray
Cedar oil is natural and non-toxic, and it is one of the most effective repellents for insects and ticks. The good thing about this spray is that you can spray it directly on your clothing and skin. It does not cause irritation or side effects after use at all, and it is safe for both humans and pets. As for what the spray does to the ticks, it simply kills them or repels them. Things go the same with other irritating insects like fleas or more that pester you around or in the house. You can make cedar oil spray by yourself at home or purchase it online or at pet stores. It is effective, easy, portable, and safe, and I highly recommend you consider this method.
4. Eucalyptus Oil
Eucalyptus oil is another famous tick repeller and killer that is also very easy to make. All you need is 4 ounces of distilled or purified water and 20 drops of eucalyptus essential oil. Combine these ingredients into a spray bottle, shake well before using it, and spray it on your skin. If you want to use it on your dogs, dilute the eucalyptus oil with water before spraying it on them. By spraying it directly on the skin, the strong scent of the eucalyptus will keep the ticks away. Simply put, they don’t like the eucalyptus scent so they don’t come near you or your pets.
5. Neem Oil
Margosa oil or neem oil is a vegetable oil that is commercially available for medicines and organic farming. Another important use of neem oil is as pesticides to repel a wide variety of pests in farming and at home. In organic farming, it can repel aphids, beetles, caterpillars, locusts, mites, and many other pests that harm plants and vegetables. At home, it works effectively as pesticides for ants, bedbugs, cockroaches, flies, mosquitos, termites, and of course, ticks. Apply it on your skin to keep them away. Neem oil is a good method to remove ticks from your dogs if you want to do it at home. Dilute the oil and mix it with almond oil or other light carrier oil so that it is safe for your dogs. Apply a drop or two on the ticks, and it will extract itself quickly from your dogs.
Bonus: Get Chickens
You probably disagree, but it is actually a very effective and simple way to control insects and pests. First of all, the chicken will eat anything that they can find around the house. Those include flies, grasshoppers, grubs, and of course, ticks. Get a few chickens and set them loose in your yard to let them do the work. Even better, you will get some eggs in return while not having to worry about those bothersome insects. It can be a bit challenging to build a mini house for the chicken and clean up after them. However, it all depends on your creativity in the existing environment of your areas. The good thing is that you can have your own little farm for the kids to play in. This idea is worth give a try if you find it interesting.
Conclusion
Bloodsucking bugs like fleas, mosquitos, and ticks are not only irritating but also dangerous to us. There are many diseases that these insects transmit to humans after sucking the hosts’ blood. More than that, they are also harmful to pets at home like cats and dogs. This is why you should take precautions before it happens and starts to get serious. Hopefully, the homemade tick repellents and plants that repel ticks that I provide today are helpful for you.