Rats can be a real pest once they see your garden as their new home, but there is a humane way to get rid of them without chemicals
Rats are one of those pests that you don’t want in your garden, nibbling on your displays. Once in your soil, they can wreak havoc by damaging your plants, flowers, and crops. Not only that, but their droppings can cause diseases, contaminate the soil, and pose a real risk to your garden.
Lavender, a fragrant herb known for its calming and relaxing properties, is a great rat repellent. Even though the smell is lovely and pleasant to people, rats dislike the strong scent. Rats have very sensitive noses and will try to stay away from areas they consider to have a repulsive scent.
If you plant lavender in your garden, it can grow up to 60 cm tall with grey-green leaves and purple-blue flowers that bloom from late spring to early summer. It can be planted in pots, borders, or beds and can also be used as a hedge or ground cover.
David Denyer, a flower expert, said: “Lavender is a lovely purple herb,” but it’s not just the beauty of it that makes it a good plant to have in your garden. He added: “The lavender’s strong smell will stop the rats from smelling any potential food in the garden, making it a zone of no interest to them.”
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Lavender can also be used as a repellent by diluting it into a spray. It’s recommended to use 10-15 drops of lavender oil per pint of water, which is great for spraying on smaller bugs and insects crawling around.
Another great method is placing cotton balls or pads in a jar, adding five to seven drops of essential oil, and leaving the jar open to deter pests. It’s best to refresh the oil every few days to keep the scent strong for the pests.
Marigolds are also a great way to deter rats in more than one way. Rats don’t like the flower’s smell, and their bright color is also off-putting for rodents.
It’s best to plant marigolds along the border of your garden or at any entry points where rodents might try to get through. Another good method is to crush the marigold leaves and flowers, which will increase the repellent effect.
David added: “Rats, believe it or not, are rather wary creatures, so bright colors can easily frighten them and make them back off. Planting marigolds around the borders of your garden, along with any other bright and vibrant flowers, is a great way to stop rats from invading.”
