Rats can disrupt spring gardens by chewing on budding plants and can contaminate greenhouse crops by defecating in the soil, but there is a simple way to stop them from entering your property. Many gardeners resort to using poison to get rid of rats, but this can be dangerous if you have pets or children in your household, which is why there is no risk in trying natural repellants first. 

Kenzie Jackson, a gardening expert from Growing Spaces, has shared that a simple solution is to use pungent foods and herbs as rodents will stay away from strong smells that overwhelm them. It may seem strange, but rodents have highly sensitive noses and will not stay in an area with strong odours as it will make them uncomfortable. Some scents will also mask the smell of foods rats wish to eat, which will make your garden an unappealing place for them. 

What will keep rats out of gardens and greenhouses

Peppermint 

Peppermint has a powerful minty smell that will irritate rat noses, which is why it is one of the most popular natural remedies for keeping pests away. 

Kenzie said: “Rodents dislike the smell of peppermint, so placing a few drops of peppermint oil on cotton balls and placing them around your greenhouse or planting peppermint can be effective.” 

You can also plant peppermint in your garden to deter rats, but make sure to plant it in a pot rather than soil, as it is an invasive plant that can grow extremely quickly.

Garlic

Garlic contains sulphur, which has a strong bitter flavour that rats will hate, and they will typically avoid an area with offensive odour. 

Kenzie said: “Garlic has a strong smell that rodents don’t like. Planting garlic in your greenhouse or in surrounding outdoor beds can help keep them away.”

Alternatively, you can make a homemade spray by boiling garlic in a pan of water, and then using the smelly water around your garden once it has cooled down. 

Cayenne pepper 

Spicy scents will irritate a rat’s nose and make their eyes water, so they are very likely to move along if they smell them on your property.

Kenzie said: ”Sprinkling cayenne pepper around your greenhouse can also be effective. Rodents don’t like the spicy smell and taste.”

When trying natural remedies, it is best to try out a few scents to confuse the rats and stop them from getting used to the scent, so keep experimenting to see what works in your garden.

However, it is also important to keep your garden and greenhouse clean, as rodents are more likely to visit an untidy area where there are more places to hide.

Kenzie said: “Rodents like things cluttered, so the cleaner your greenhouse is, the less likely they want to call it home. Remove debris from your raised beds, such as fallen leaves or fruit. Also, don’t overwater your plants; this can create a damp environment that rodents and pests love.”