No one wants to spot a rat in their garden, and instead of reaching for harsh chemicals to deter them away there are a few natural remedies to help keep them out
Rats love gardens, but they are often unwanted visitors – luckily there’s an easy and natural deterrent to keep them away.
Seeing a rodent is enough to make anyone scream, and with summer approaching, it’s increasingly likely you will find yourself coming across from in your own back yard. Any gardeners’ worst nightmare, rats can eat plants, chomp down on vegetables growing and destroy gardens, so it’s important to try and keep them away. Luckily, pest control expert Lorin Nielsen from Epic Gardening has shared a natural deterrent you can use without the need to use toxic chemicals.
Lorin told The Express one of the “most effective” deterrents for rats is to plant mint, and other “strong-smelling” herbs around the borders of your garden. “The smell of mint is a natural deterrent for rodents. This makes it a great addition to any garden. Keep a few pots around the perimeter of your garden and inside the greenhouse.”
This works as rats have a very sensitive sense of smell, and this will help to naturally keep them away – as they believe they are toxic. What’s more, mint is also safe to keep in the garden and rats will be less likely to stay around. You can pick up a fresh mint plant from Sainsbury’s for £1.29 or £1.50 from Tesco. But dried mint can also work, which you can purchase for £1.10 from Sainsbury’s. Lorin suggested scattering dried mint around the garden. Alternatively, you could try soaking cotton balls in peppermint oil, which you can buy for £.3.99 from Amazon.
The pro shared that other plants can help alongside mint to keep rats away, and added: “In addition to mint, most rats and mice are put off by strong herbal scents, such as basil, echinacea, garlic, and thyme. To keep away the rodents, plant a border of these herbs around the outside of your garden. Once the rodents smell them, they will think your garden has nothing to offer and they’ll turn away.”
Another deterrent is onions as the expert explained. Onions whether they’re grown or placed raw near plants will help keep the rodents away. Lorin said: “Consider growing onions, leeks, and garlic around the exterior of your garden beds. That tends to repel a number of pests, not just rodents.”
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