Nowadays, we talk a lot about ticks. These mites feed on blood, and in doing so, they can transmit pathogenic diseases and bacteria (Lyme borreliosis or Lyme disease, hemorrhagic fever, encephalitis). However, we generally tend to believe that these parasites are only rife in the undergrowth. However, in 30 to 50% of cases, it is in private or public gardens that ticks attach themselves to their hosts (humans or pets). However, that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on sun-soaked afternoons outdoors! Indeed, it is very easy to protect your family and pets from tick bites. In addition to chasing ticks that nest in your home, also take some steps in the garden to keep them away.

Pesticides, a solution against garden ticks?
To eradicate and repel ticks, many people take the easy way out of spraying chemical pesticides with acaricides. However, this solution is not very effective. In addition to its questionable repellent effects, this type of product is very harmful both for flora and fauna and for the health of children, adults and animals inhabiting the garden. To replace these ineffective and dangerous chemicals, try our natural grandma tips. You will be able to enjoy your garden in complete safety without the risk of contamination by a tick bite.

1) Some gardening tips to make your garden less hospitable

To avoid the proliferation of ticks in your garden, you need to know what they prefer for their habitat and ensure that your green spaces do not meet these criteria. In general, blacklegged ticks such as Ixodes ricinus (those that bite humans) like shade, dense vegetation and humidity. To fight against ticks, it will therefore be necessary to favor open and sunny areas. Also think about:
-Allow the lawn to dry completely between two waterings.
– Mulch strategic areas where there is a lot of traffic such as play areas or the edge of your land if it faces a wooded area to create a natural barrier.
-Limit hiding places, making sure to mow the lawn well to avoid tall grass and trim weeds (sources of shade and coolness for ticks).
–Regularly remove piles of dead leaves and compost cut grass when mowing. Burn them if necessary so as not to attract ticks.
-Prune the base of trees and keep hedges and beds away from busy areas (they do this while waiting to hang on to you or your animal)

2) Animals, a key point against ticks in the garden

-Do everything you can to protect and pest your dogs and cats. Start by inspecting their coat after walks, but also not for effective treatments: tick remover, dog collar, repellent spray, application of diatomaceous earth, etc. Thus, there will be little risk that your pet will carry ticks into your garden or home.
-Also, consider welcoming a few hens or guinea fowl in your garden to eat this insect.
-Also, consider putting up a fence to prevent wild animals that carry ticks from approaching your garden.
-And finally, you can treat the fur of the mice with cotton tubes soaked in anti-tick product. By taking them to make their nest, product is deposited on their fur. Safe for them, however, it will kill ticks that want to hang on to them.

3) Against ticks, choose the plants in the garden
Some plants and flowers have useful repellant and insecticidal properties. This is the case for aromatic herbs (lemon thyme, bay leaf or basil), but also lavender, lemon balm, lantan tree, wormwood and lemongrass geranium. Some plant manure also has natural repellant effects such as nettle manure, horsetail, lavender and comfrey. In addition, the chestnut tree is generally a good repellent against insects. On the contrary, banish the broom.
4) Biological control against these vectors of infectious diseases
Some species of microscopic worms that can be mixed with water and spread in the garden can fight ticks. This is the case with Steinernema carpocapsae or Heterorhabditis bacteriophora. These parasites harmless to humans and pets, however, attack on passage to other insects, which somewhat reduces their effectiveness against ticks by the “dilution” effect. For more effectiveness, you can also rely on entomopathogenic fungi (insect or anthropod parasites). They attack ticks and ultimately allow them to be killed and eradicated. To do this, opt instead for Beauveria bassiana or Metarhizium anisopliae