To Summarize. Collect the garbage, trim the trees, prune hedges, and keep everything neat. You can get rid of rats in your vegetable garden by making them think that there's a predator nearby. Seal any small gaps that allow them access. Keeping your garden or yard clean and tidy is necessary to avoid a rat problem as it stops them from becoming too comfortable with your outdoor space. Whether it’s in the house or out in the yard, we know this to be true: rats are pests. Stopping rats without poison is easy if you take the right prevention methods. Mice, rats, gophers and other rodents not only cause unsightly damage from tunneling through the lawn and garden, they can eventually enter your home after colonizing the garden. In addition to integrating plants that keep rats away, the following tips can also keep rodents at bay: Keep compost wet and rotated Keep Rats Out of Your Garden By Caroline Bragdon | June 1, 2006 Many gardeners have had at least one encounter with rats; the typical urban gardener has probably had many. Stake out your garden for a while to see what kind of animals are doing the damage, and search the Internet for tips on repelling your specific unwelcome visitor. Field mice and rats can be common garden pests and more tricky to keep out your garden than other types of animals. Even though these small rodents don’t eat everything overnight, you need to find a way to keep these pests out of your garden: Woodchucks: Groundhogs generally stay within about 100 feet of their dens, venturing out morning […] Keep your garden clean. In addition to mint, most rats and mice are put off by strong herbal scents, such as basil, echinacea, garlic, and thyme. Rats will seek out any sources of food or water in your garden. Once the rodents smell them, they will think your garden has nothing to offer and they’ll turn away. Your aim should be to prevent rodent activity in the first place. If you love growing some crops in your backyard, knowing how to keep rodents out of garden is something you should learn. Rodents can include a variety of different animals like mice, rats, squirrels, porcupines, and gophers. I will link to the most important ones right now: - How to do a Rat Inspection - to find out how they are getting in your house. Rats found in trees are often known as roof rats, as they may jump from a roof into the tree. Rats also find their way up roofs and trees when there are vines to climb up. Bring in a predator. Remove food and water sources. Eliminate any harbourage points around buildings and sheds. Common rats that will get into vegetable gardens include the Norway rat, pack rat and roof rat. However, If you are past this point and need effective action, now, poison and traps are the best solutions to get rid of rats in the garden and home for good. Dogs and cats can make great rodent deterrents, and some dogs, like the Rat Terrier, are bred for the purpose of hunting small animals. How to Keep Rats Away From Your House If you have rats in your home, this is the website for you. Rats fear open spaces and, therefore, the fewer overgrown areas full of junk you have, the less likely the rodents will have a place to nest and hide. Rodents such as squirrels groundhogs, moles, and meadow voles can do a lot of damage to a garden. Keep Your Garden Clean: If your garden is where you throw anything you do not want, it is time for a cleanup. Remember, mice can squeeze through tiny holes. Rats will feed off any fallen fruits, waste and ripe or spoiled vegetables in your garden… Bird block netting is pretty good at keeping birds and humans out of the garden — I always end up tangled in it — but is ineffective against rats. How to Keep Rats out of Your Garden . If there is shelter available in your yard or near your roof then rats may climb trees to get at … So, how can you keep rodents out of the garden? Mice can become a major problem. There is only one species of rat in New York City—the Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus). Other Plants That Keep Rats Away. To keep away the rodents, plant a border of these herbs around the outside of your garden. Check for any inviting openings in sheds and out-buildings, and seal them up. I have written several detailed articles about how to solve the problem. The ultimate goal is to keep rats and rodents out of the garden without using harmful chemicals, poisons, and pesticides that post a threat to your pets or your children.