How do you keep rodents out of your garden?

You need to spend time, effort, and resources if you want to create a healthy backyard vegetable garden. It’s your chance to get your hands dirty and grow delicious peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, and more. That’s why you need to learn about rodent control tips for your garden.

Rats and mice like vegetable gardens because of several reasons. They are not only a reliable source of water and food but they also offer the perfect place they can call home. This holds true in urban settings, where small spots of the vegetable gardens will serve as an oasis. Whether you live in a county, the suburbs, or the city, it can be frustrating to deal with rodents in your vegetable garden. Fortunately, there are things you can do to protect your vegetables from rats and mice.

Pest Control and Rodent Control Tips

Secure your birdseed and compost

Compost and birdseed are two of the most common attractors of pests in vegetable gardens. If you are practicing composting, you need to contain the material in a plastic compost bin or a hearty metal. While doing so, make sure to store birdseed as well.

Get rid of hiding places and nesting areas

Check the spots close to your garden that may be attractive for rodents. These include openings in the crawl spaces of your home, gaps underneath your deck, woodpiles, and even tall grass. Rats are attracted to areas that seem cozy, safe, and warm because it provides them with a place where they can hide from danger and possibly build a nest. That, along with a vegetable garden in your back yard, is like giving rats and mice an invitation.

Pick vegetables early

Another simple pest control solution is to pick your vegetables as soon as you can. This would prevent rodents from getting lured to your garden. Apart from that, you also need to watch if any vegetable has fallen off its vine because if they’re left to rot on the ground, rats and mice won’t be able to resist the temptation.

Seal all entry points

You should make a barrier that will keep rodents away. Rats and mice could squeeze through tiny holes. That’s why the usual garden fencing won’t be able to keep rodents at bay. Some gardeners or homeowners reinforce their fences with garden nets. Just make sure to watch out for signs of rodents attempting to burrow under the fence, which is an indication that you have problems with Norway rats. You can also use copper mesh wire or steel wool to seal the burrow off.

Use self-resetting traps

If you have tried all the steps mentioned above and you’re still having problems in your backyard vegetable garden then you should consider options that will help eradicate them. But you need to carefully consider what approach you need to take. The traditional glue traps are not that effective in a garden setting. Instead, you can use self-resetting traps that will kill rodents instantly. The rat will automatically reset itself after every kill, which means you could get rid of more rodents with much less effort. You can also hire an exterminator.