Rats can unexpectedly make an appearance in your garden, regardless of whether you live in the city or in the countryside. Typically, they set up camp beneath decking, in sheds or outhouses or hide away in compost heaps.
However, if you want to get rid of them without adding anything toxic or dangerous to your garden, some natural deterrents can put a stop to rats.
According to experts: “Some of the most effective natural rat deterrents include crushed pepper, peppermint oil, cayenne pepper, black pepper, cloves, citronella, eucalyptus, and chilli flakes. These ingredients can be used separately or combined to create a rat-repelling spray.”
This is likely due to their powerful aroma, as rats have a naturally strong sensory system. The strong and fresh scent can put rats off.
However, experts from pest control service Orkin say that the challenge when using deterrent smells is that they often need to be topped up and maintained to work at their best.
They explained: “The challenge with using essential oils as a repellant is they often are required to be maintained at such high concentrations as to be unrealistic or unpleasant for the homeowner to smell.
“Once the odour becomes acceptable to the person, it no longer repels the rodents. Secondly, a determined rodent will not be deterred by the odour.”
In order to really tackle rats, you need to keep on top of cleanliness and lock away anything which may attract rats. For example, if you have a compost heap, you should transfer this into a locked compost bin so that the rats are not too attracted.
“The best natural rat deterrent is cleanliness,” said Orkin’s experts.
“Food scraps are highly attractive to rats and garbage areas are often infested.
“Keeping trash sealed tightly and ensuring that no food crumbs or residue are available around your home can prevent rat infestations.”
How to tell if you have a rat infestation in your garden
Rats are mostly nocturnal so gardeners may not see them, but there some tell-tale signs which could signal there are rats making themselves at home in your garden.
You might notice tunnels, tracks alongside walls, fences or buildings which typically measure up to 10cm wide. Gardeners might also notice their cylindrical droppings, gnawed wood, or parallel teeth marks in crops.
