Guard your garden: Plants that naturally repel disease-carrying ticks
Ticks are annoying parasites and pose a real threat to our health. This article presents plants that will help you naturally protect your garden from these unwanted guests.
Why is it worth fighting ticks?
Summer is a time of intense work in the garden, activities during vacations, and, unfortunately, increased tick activity.
Ticks, tiny arachnids that feed on the blood of mammals and birds, can be bothersome and dangerous to humans. They transmit diseases such as Lyme disease and encephalitis. So, how can we effectively protect ourselves from these harmful creatures? In the fight against them, we can turn to natural allies.
Ticks can be found in meadows, parks, and forests but increasingly appear in household gardens.
How to protect yourself from ticks in the garden? A natural way is to use plants that repel these unwanted guests. Place certain plants in your garden that will effectively repel ticks.
Tick-repelling plants
Some plants have intense aromas that ticks cannot stand. Planting them in the garden can effectively reduce the population of these arachnids. Here are a few:
- Rosemary's intense smell effectively repels ticks and is also a beautiful addition to any garden.
- Lavender - not only smells lovely but also repels ticks and mosquitoes.
- Basil - its intense aroma repels ticks and also has culinary uses.
- Thyme - is also unfriendly to ticks.
- Mint - its fresh scent repels many insects, including ticks.
Ticks are not only annoying parasites but also carriers of dangerous diseases. In this article, we will examine the diseases that can threaten us after being bitten by these tiny arachnids and learn how to protect ourselves effectively from them.
Lyme disease - a silent epidemic
Lyme disease, also known as Lyme borreliosis, is one of the most well-known diseases transmitted by ticks. In Poland, the number of cases of this disease increases every year. From January 1 to April 30, 2024, 3427 cases of Lyme disease were confirmed in the country, more than in the same period last year.
Lyme disease mainly manifests as a characteristic migrating erythema but can lead to serious complications such as arthritis and neurological or cardiac problems.
Treating Lyme disease requires long-term antibiotic therapy. Therefore, it is crucial to remove the tick and monitor the bite site quickly. If erythema or flu-like symptoms appear, consult a doctor immediately.
