Rats are known for their tendency to hoard food underground and create burrows, actions that can lead to the uprooting of plants and the destruction of root systems.
Their droppings and urine not only contaminate soil but also pose a risk of spreading disease.
While some gardeners resort to traps and poisons to eliminate these pests, such methods can inadvertently harm other wildlife.
Instead, gardeners are in agreement on one natural product to repel rats from gardens so they don’t enter homes.
Unsure what to do with the rats in her garden, Maia Brown took to the Gardening Hints and Tips Facebook page to ask for advice.
She wrote: “Rats!!! We’ve got a rat/rats visiting our garden – we see it most days. It’s not nesting in or under my little shed, there’s no food source in the garden and I stopped feeding the birds several weeks ago.
“I’m a bit nervous now about going into the garden but my main concern is for my dog and grandchild.
“Does anyone know how I can deter this rat from coming into the garden? Thanks.”
Fellow group members were in agreement that Maia should use peppermint to rid her rat problem – whether it be in oil or plant form.
Diane Moss said: “I love peppermint oil for this. Rats hate the stuff. It worked in my garden and house.”
James Reid commented: “They don’t like peppermint. Use it on cotton balls around the garden or grow some of these plants.”
Emma Gibson recalled: “Liberal use of peppermint oil on bits of cotton wool deterred them from my garden after five minutes of using the stuff.”
Mint houses an incredibly powerful aroma. The potency of mint’s scent is overwhelming for rats, who have a keen sense of smell.
The scent of the menthol and other compounds in mint acts as a natural deterrent that drives them away for good from spaces where this herb thrives.
