How to Stop Rats and Other Rodents from Eating Your Garden Vegetables

Growing your own food is so rewarding. Feeding all of the local rodents is not. Rats, mice, and other rodents will view your garden as an all-you-can-eat buffet. That not only impacts your crop, but also teaches them that your house is a place with plenty of food. Feed them all summer, and they will be trying hard to find a way inside in the winter. Fortunately, it is possible to get a rodent-proof garden.

The first thing you want to do is try and make your garden unappealing. That may seem difficult, since you are growing food there. However, prevention strategies can go a long way to making your garden less inviting. So, read on to find out how to rodent proof your garden.

Eliminate their hiding spaces. Rodents want comfy, hidden places to live. If you have storage sheds, piles of rubble, or other convenient resting spots, those are perfect nesting spots. So, clean out any storage areas you have. If you are storing anything in the garden, such as firewood or bricks, move them further away. If you cannot, store them off the ground. While that will not completely prevent rodents from nesting there, it will make it less inviting.

Get rid of your garbage. Store garbage away from your home, including any compost areas. When you dispose of garbage, ensure it is in a sealed container. This includes any fallen fruits and vegetables. If you leave ripe fruits or vegetables on the ground, it will be virtually impossible to discourage rodents from visiting.

Keep the surrounding area clean. You may be tempted to let your grass go long and wild, especially if you are living on a larger piece of land. It can feel like you are doing the best thing for the environment. However, if your grass is long and untrimmed, it offers plenty of hiding spaces for rodents and for the snakes who hunt them. So, you want to keep the area around your garden well groomed, reducing those hiding spots.

If you have animals, whether pets or livestock, you need to watch their feed. Only feed them what they will eat in a meal. Take up any uneaten food. You also want to store them in sealed containers. You may think those plastic pet storage containers are great. However, a rodent can chew through those containers. If you are storing the food outside, you should consider a metal storage container.

If you already have rodents in the yard, exclusion is not going to be enough. You are going to need expert hands. Our professional technicians will take care of the problem so you don’t have to worry about rats, possums or other rodents eating your vegetables.

Rodent-proof your garden with Flick! Contact us today.