We don’t often think about it, but ticks can also settle in our garden, especially if it has these particularities…
As spring gradually sets in in our gardens, it’s time to think about our plantings and resume garden maintenance. It’s not just a question of aesthetics, certain bad choices or insufficient maintenance can create a favorable environment for certain little creatures, including the dreaded and dreaded ticks.
Trimming hedges, mowing the lawn, planting new species… These are all special moments which can unfortunately turn into encounters with ticks. These arachnids measure only 3 mm to 1 cm and although they are found all year round, they are particularly active between April and November. If we encounter them mainly during walks in the forest, gardens can also become real refuges for these little unwanted critters, also known to transmit Lyme disease to us. The garden can become a habitat for ticks, especially if we unknowingly cultivate plants there which offer them ideal conditions.
First lesson, ticks love tall grass. Spring with the rapid growth of the lawn can quickly transform your small green patch into suitable land. But that’s not all! Ferns and tall plants that thrive in moist, shady locations or dense ground cover plants like ivy also create perfect microclimates for ticks to thrive.
Don’t neglect your hedges either. Very popular in France, rows of cedar trees can be good shelters, especially if they have not been pruned for a long time and provide enough shade and humidity.
Dense shrubs also deserve particular vigilance. Black lilac, with its bushy branches, but also wild mulberries, elderberries and hazelnut trees all have similar characteristics which make them risky areas.
So what to do? First of all, mow and maintain your garden regularly, especially if you are in the countryside, on the edge of meadows or near a forest. Piles of branches and wood but also dead leaves, especially in damp places, must be removed or moved.
Why not also opt for the best natural weapon, repellent plants? There are many, such as lavender, rosemary, thyme, lemon balm, wormwood and lemongrass geranium. All give off strong odors that ticks hate. Tansy, this rustic perennial, also has a powerful camphorous odor that is unpleasant for many parasites, including ticks. Planted in clumps near lawns, they can become a natural barrier against ticks. Same thing for catnip, also called nepeta, which ticks will flee due to a repellent secreted by the plant…
