Can Growing Basil In Your Garden Keep Chiggers Away? Here's What We Know

Nothing can ruin a lovely summer day out in the garden quicker than a chigger bite. Although these tiny, microscopic bugs don't seem like a big deal compared to their tick cousins, their bite can still be extremely irritating and sometimes painful. This is the very reason homeowners are constantly searching for ways to get rid of the chiggers in their yards. Many people searching for a non-toxic alternative to sprays like DEET turn to herbs that are believed to help keep pests away. Basil is one of these herbs said to keep chiggers away. However, research shows there is no scientific evidence to support this claim. Although basil has some wonderful benefits, and you should still add it to your garden, it won't keep chiggers away.

Some plant essential oils have been tested for their ability to repel chiggers, and a few have shown effectiveness, particularly clove and tea tree oil. However, these tests used concentrated extracts rather than the living plants themselves. The reason this was done is that single plants don't contain enough of the essential oil to repel insects. In one study, basil essential oil was tested against a chigger-related mite and showed very limited effectiveness. The key to both these studies is that for any of the plants' essential oils to be useful, they had to be applied in large amounts of highly concentrated oils, levels that would not be found in a couple of plants in your yard. That's why growing a few basil plants won't meaningfully deter chiggers.

The biggest problem with using basil plants grown in your garden to keep chiggers away is two-fold: where the oils are located in the plant and their low concentration. The two main essential oils in basil that could have any effect on insect pests are linalool and eugenol; both of these oils are contained in the leaves, flowers, and stems of the plant. The plant releases these oils into the air, which is why basil has such a strong aroma. However, the concentration released into the air is far too low to affect insects. The other factor is that chiggers hang out in the soil under leaf litter, and they most likely won't even notice these airborne oils.

While the idea of using plants to repel chiggers is based on real science, it is often applied incorrectly in home gardens. A couple of basil plants in your yard won't do the job. You're better off using essential oil-based bug sprays on your skin to prevent bites, many of which are widely available. To deter them from your yard altogether, some gardeners swear by diatomaceous earth as their secret weapon to get rid of chiggers. Some studies suggest this can be effective; the only drawback is that it becomes less effective while it's wet. Even so, basil remains a great addition to any garden, if only to have a great-smelling herb that is beneficial to other plants and your dinner plate.