Having a garden in your backyard is the best thing a homeowner would wish for. It gives your home character and makes you want to spend time out in your backyard. However, you have to take care of the garden. As you do so, you should be aware of rodents that might invade your well-kept garden. With that said, you may want to learn how to keep rodents out of garden.
How to Keep Rodents Out of Garden
Whether you are dealing with a newly built home and garden, or want to care for your current one, this post will cover pest prevention methods, especially for rodents. We will cover the signs that you may have a rodent problem in your garden as well as how to drive the pests out.
Signs of Rodent Invasion of Your Garden
- Physically Spotting Them: What more evidence of rodent infestation would you want than seeing them on your garden? This is a clear sign that you have a rodent problem at your backyard. You may want to consider seeking out residential pest control help once you start seeing them.
- Underground Tunnels: You make come out one morning to find mounds in your garden. A close inspection will lead you to tunnels underneath. It is a clear sign that gophers, mice, and rats are making your garden their home.
- Plants Sinking to the Ground or Disappearing: When rodents dig the tunnels, your plants will sink into the ground. You will also notice some young plants having their roots gnawed. That is the work of rats and mice.
- Droppings: Most rodents will leave droppings where they feed. Look out for black, rice-grain size droppings.
How to Deal with a Rodent Infestation
When you are sure that you are dealing with a rodent infestation, the next action is to find out where they are camping. From there you can move forward with rodent control to drive them out of your garden. Here are some tips on rodent removal to ensure they stay clear of your home and garden;
- Take Away Their Food Source: One of the reasons why the rodents have built a home in your garden is because they can easily access food. Look around and identify where they are getting food from. Do not leave any sort of food in the open. Remove your bird feeders for a week or so. Without food, the pests will have no other choice but to leave.
- Destroy Their Nests: Wood piles and long grass form a perfect shelter for rats and mice. Trim the grass and remove the woods. Make sure there is no place for the pests to hide.
- Seal Holes: Mice and rats can easily squeeze themselves through narrow holes. Find and seal any spaces they can use to get in and out.
- Keep Your Garden Clean: If your garden is where you throw anything you do not want, it is time for a cleanup. Collect the garbage, trim the trees, prune hedges, and keep everything neat.
To Summarize
If you love growing some crops in your backyard, knowing how to keep rodents out of garden is something you should learn. Start by ascertaining the rodents presence and where they live. One of the best ways to prevent pests is by eliminating their shelter and food supply.