Good Tips for Repelling Ticks from Your Garden

Infected ticks are particularly active in May and June, and you can pick up a tick even while walking in your own garden or a city park. Here we share tips on how to make your garden an unpleasant place for dangerous insects and enjoy your summer garden in peace!

In Estonia, two types of ticks spread tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme disease, which are dangerous to humans – the castor bean tick and the meadow tick. It has even happened that one tick has "gifted" both of these nasty diseases at once. To find a host, the tick climbs from the ground surface to a height of 20–70 cm on a grass blade or some other plant and waits there in ambush. However, ticks never climb to the top of a tree or shrub, as is sometimes believed. Ticks end up in cities and gardens with the help of birds, rodents, and hedgehogs.

In the garden, it is advisable to keep vegetation as low as possible, as ticks usually don't feel comfortable on dry and well-maintained grass. In rural areas, you should try to prevent wild animals from accessing the garden if possible. Tick host species, such as mice, moles, rabbits, foxes, and other small mammals, can bring ticks to human habitats. Dangerous viruses are also carried by tiny tick nymphs – small dark dust mite-like creatures – which you may not notice at all. People get infected even though they didn't realize they had a tick on them.

Tips to make your garden unpleasant for ticks:

• Plant lavender, peppermint, and lemongrass in your garden — especially near play areas and terraces where you spend more time. Old-fashioned garlic also has a repellent effect on ticks, and you shouldn't skimp on its cultivation — garlic scapes can be chopped into summer salads, and garlic itself is an excellent ingredient in pickled preserves.
• Ticks love moisture and overgrown grass areas, so it's worth fighting excess moisture. One way to do this is, for example, liming, which should be tested at the edges of your plot and in the "wilder" parts of the garden, as well as along paths. Lime is an excellent tool for drying damp soil, and due to its caustic properties, ticks that have already crawled onto the grass will also disappear. If you're struggling with moss, lime can also help with this problem. NB! Repeat the procedure after heavy rainfalls!
• Separate your plot from the rest of the territory with barrier strips. If your house or cottage is surrounded by forest or pasture, create at least 70 cm wide strips of mulch, gravel, or paved stones along its edge, which are difficult for ticks to cross. Also cover the area in play areas or grilling zones. Ticks are unlikely to crawl onto areas covered with stones.
• Keep your grass short — pay special attention to children's play areas and the edges of paths.
• Regularly check your pets, who can bring ticks both into the house and into the garden from their walks. During the summer season, it's wise to use tick repellents on your pets.
• Ticks are most often brought to gardens by birds. Avoid placing bird houses near your house, play areas, or relaxation zones.

Article source: Moodne Kodu