Have you been looking for how to get rid of rats in garden? You are not alone as rats are among the most stressful pests to combat. They don’t just cause damage in homes, they are also a nuisance in gardens.
Because of this, we have put together this post to show you the best way to get rid of rats fast. Want to find out? Continue reading this post.
How do I Keep Rats Out of my Garden?
When rats infest a garden, they eat up vegetables, burrow holes within the soil, and even camp in compost heaps. All of these can be quite annoying, no wonder many farmers look for how to get rid of rats in garden naturally. While you may consider using poison or traps, such means could harm other living things in the environment. For this reason, we suggest that you avoid these means. Check out how to get rid of rats without poison or traps below:
Soil netting
One way to protect your garden from rats is soil netting. This process involves laying a piece of net beneath the topsoil. Doing this helps to curb the burrowing of holes as well as protect your bulbs and roots from rats. While this method is one of the best ways to get rid of rats fast, there is a little disadvantage. Some rats are so determined that they could chew through the net. As such, you have to check the nets frequently for any breaches.
Take out water and food resources
Rats are always looking out for water and food resources. If they find any in your garden, you can bet that they will set up camp there. Ensure that your taps don’t drip after use and you don’t make use of birdbaths. Also, get rid of pet food once your pets are done eating. Secure your compost and other organic materials using bins or containers with lids. Finally, you should take out your garbage frequently.
Peppermint oil
Here’s a secret that most gardeners don’t know about rats, they dislike the smell of peppermint oil. Placing cotton balls containing pure peppermint oil in different parts of your garden drives rats away. Ensure that you apply the oil several times every week.
Keep the garden clean
One of the best ways to get rid of rats fast is to keep your garden as clean as possible. Take out all the garden clippings and unused piles of wood. Pick up fallen veggies, berries, and fruits. A clean garden means there is nothing for the rats to feed on or hide under.
What do Rats Hate the Most?
You will hardly see rats in the wild but they can find their way into your garden very easily. One way to keep rats away is to find out what they hate the most. With this knowledge, it becomes quite easy to get rid of rats in your garden. Here are a few things that rats hate the most:
Clover plants
Clover plants are those plants that come with three- or four-leaf clovers. Such plants likely have a little white flower accompanying the leaves. These plants are aromatic and rats hate their smell. Want to know how to get rid of rats in garden naturally using clover plants? Here are a few tips:
- One way is to grow the plants in your garden. Their aroma will naturally drive the rats away.
- Another method is to soak the clover plants in water for a while. After a while, the water draws in the aroma and you can spray it around your garden periodically.
The second option is more favorable since it has more coverage and clover plants are seasonal.
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus has proven to be one of the plants that rats hate the most. While you don’t find eucalyptus in every part of the world, you can make use of the oil extract. Simply purchase 100% eucalyptus oil and put about 15 drops in a cup of water. Pour this mixture into a spray bottle and apply it in your garden.
Predators
Rats are scared of predators like cats. You can get a cat to stay in your garden to keep the rats away. What if you are allergic to cat fur? Another method is to apply cat or mongoose urine in different parts of your garden.
Coffee grounds
Looking for how to get rid of rats in garden? One of the oldest tricks in the book is using coffee grounds. Coffee grounds have a certain bitter flavor and strong scent. This combination is the perfect repellant for rats.
What Scent will Keep Rats Away?
Rats, just like many other animals, are very sensitive to smell. There are three types of scents that rats hate and we will discuss them briefly in this section.
Natural scents
Natural scents are the weakest of the three we will discuss. Of course, we find rats in sewers and other smelly environments. When you consider how used they are to such scents, you can tell that natural scents aren’t so potent in deterring them. Regardless, certain natural scents help to get rid of rats such as:
- Chili powder.
- Peppermint oil.
- Citronella
- Wintergreen
- Spearmint
Chemical scents
Many chemicals that we find in rodenticides are not just toxic to rats, they affect humans and pets as well. We advise that you avoid rodenticides containing such chemicals. Instead, you can make use of the chemicals below to get rid of rats in your garden:
- Bleach
- Ammonia
- Mothballs
Predator smells
We have already discussed predator smells as one of the best ways to get rid of rats fast. Rats are very sensitive to their predators and run away from their scents as well. Some of these predators include:
- Cats
- Mangoes
- Raccoons
- Ferrets
How to Get Rid of Rats in Garden-Conclusion
Rats are very destructive so you should rid your garden of them. We have shown you how to get rid of rats in garden naturally in this post. Also, we have shown you some scents and other things that rats hate. If you have any questions, drop them in the comments section.
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