Natural Plant Remedies to Protect Pets From Fleas and Ticks
There are quite a few plants that help repel fleas and ticks. By having these plants at home, you can ensure that fleas and pests are exterminated naturally. The presence of insects is only natural when you have a garden, but managing the pests can be a challenge. Plants like mint, for instance, can successfully keep ants away in pantries while hanging mint bags inside cupboards can keep away flies and moths.
Here are some plants that can protect your home:
Peppermint/Spearmint
The mint family offers many varieties that are effective for repelling ticks and fleas. For example, peppermint, spearmint provide natural pest control. These are completely safe for pets; they have a pleasant scent and you can even use the leaves for garnishing. Just don’t use peppermint for cats, only dogs, as it is very toxic to felines.
Lavender
This plant also belongs to the mint group and is completely safe for pets. It also works as a mosquito repellant and emits a wonderful smell. However, using anything that is lavender-scented may not be a good idea because it agitates pets.
Sage
Sage can even grow wild in your garden and is believed to be a natural pest repellant. It smells good and is safe for pets. It is best to choose the garden or common sage variety and stay away from red and yellow sage.
Chrysanthemums
These attractive blooms are known for repelling bugs. They have an organic compound called pyretherum that can disable nervous system in fleas, making them one of the best plants that help repel fleas and ticks
Fleabane Daisy
This beautiful flower belongs to the daisy family and is ideal for landscaping, being a tall plant, and repelling ticks and fleas. The plant also works like a repellant for flies and mosquitos. For better protection you can run a coating of its leaves on your pet’s fur or skin.
Lemongrass
This is a lemon-scented plant that is used like a flea repellant; it is safe for pets but may lead to an upset stomach when consumed in large quantities. Lemongrass contains geraniol and citral that insects will avoid.
Rosemary
This plant is an excellent source of amino acids besides being a natural insect repellant. It can be kept at home when you have pets and will naturally keep insects at bay.
Another useful way is to dry the flowers and leaves, crush these into tabletop containers, and then hand them around your home for protection against pests. Be sure to watch out for reactions or warning signs in your pets and consult your vet right away if you suspect something.
While all of these plants can keep fleas or ticks away you must understand that some of these can prove to be toxic for pets if they chew on these. The strong scents of these above-mentioned plants that help repel fleas and ticks usually deter pets from chewing them but if they areingested by accident, they can turn fatal. So, you need to grow these plants in places where they are out of your pet’s reach.