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Rats might make their way into your garden in search of food or shelter, but along the way, they could cause damage to your beloved plants and flowers. Luckily, there are some “natural” ways to deter rats without turning to traps and poison.
This is because rats have a very “powerful sense of smell”.
According to experts from Pest Pointers: “You can repel rats from your home and garden with scents they dislike.”
Though some of these smells might make rats scuttle in the opposite direction, they aren’t necessarily a problem for humans.
However, you might find that you need to combine a couple of smells in different areas to target a larger garden infestation.
The experts said: “The best natural pest repellents will be a combination of a few different techniques. Just because your scent deterrent doesn’t repel them completely does not mean it isn’t working.
“You may just need to add another deterrent to keep them away for good.”
5 natural scents to get rid of rats from your garden
Clover plants
Clover plants may be lucky for some, but when it comes to rats, their aromatic scent will send them in the opposite direction.
Pest Pointers said: “These deceivingly useful plants typically litter your yard in the spring – and who knew there was such a good use for them.”
Clover is easy and affordable to sow from seed. Simply sow the seed directly over a patch of established turf.
Alternatively, pick your clovers and sprinkle them in an area where you fear rats may be frequenting. However, this option can be time-consuming and clovers may need replenishing every three to five days.
Pest Pointers added: “Another option is to soak the plants in water.
“The aroma of the flowers will seep into the water, which you can then place in a spray bottle.
“Use the spray around areas you want to repel rats.”
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Garlic and onions.
The main repellant of garlic is its strong scent caused by allicin.
Pest Pointers said: “It’s the molecule that gives garlic its distinctive odour. Like capsaicin in chilli peppers, allicin is a developed defence mechanism of the plant to keep animals from eating it.”
For onions, their strong odour is due to sulphur-containing compounds.
The experts explained: “Similar to allicin, these sulphuric compounds give off a strong scent that will make rats think twice about coming near.”
Place entire garlic cloves around vulnerable spots, or make a spray using garlic and onion to spritz in key areas.
To do this, bring four cups of water to a boil, then add one chopped onion and two to four cloves of garlic.
Reduce heat and let simmer for five minutes. Next, turn off the heat and let the mixture cool completely.
Once cooled, strain the mixture and place the remaining water in a spray bottle.
Coffee grounds
The bitter flavour of hot-brewed coffee grounds combined with their strong scent is a double-whammy for repelling rats.
The experts explained: “If you need to repel rats from your garden, you can simply chuck them directly in the garden.
“Coffee grounds are great for composting, so they’re likely to help fertilise your garden in addition to repelling pests like rats and deer.”
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