Irish gardener Peter Dowdall shares his advice on how to keep pests at bayLiam Mcinerney, Sara Rountree Deputy Editor, Cork Beo and Anita McSorley
08:04, 05 May 2026Updated 08:11, 05 May 2026
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An expert Irish gardener has said that preventing rats from overrunning your garden comes down to simple steps that are often overlooked. Peter Dowdall, known as The Irish Gardener, has urged households to prioritise basic garden hygiene rather than rely on quick fixes, warning that rodents are common nationwide, and ‘probably 100%’ in your garden.
He said: “Rats, it comes down to, and it’s not a miracle thing, but if you want the proper answer to it, rats are in probably 100% of gardens, and they come out at night time when they are not seen, and the garden is quiet. It is all about making sure you are not giving them a reason to stay in your garden, that you are not giving them a reason to nest, it comes down to a lot of hygiene, really.”
Dowdall, who has more than 30 years of experience working in gardens across Ireland, said the key to keeping rats away is removing what attracts them: food, water and shelter. He warned that one of the most common mistakes is disposing of food waste incorrectly, which can quickly draw rodents and encourage them to settle nearby.
He explained, “Never throw cooked food waste into an open compost bin because that will draw rats. If you give them a food source, a water source, and somewhere safe to nest, then they will stay, so it is all about cleanliness in the garden, really, in terms of hygiene. Not leaving stuff that would be attracted to rats, nesting sites, and food sources. If you can make sure you are not leaving them in the garden, then that’s as much as you can do, really, against rats.”
His advice comes as garden centres across Ireland see a seasonal surge in customers looking to improve their outdoor spaces. However, Dowdall cautioned that increased interest in gardening can sometimes lead to environmentally harmful choices.
He highlighted a widely used but problematic lawn care product, often sold as a convenient all-in-one solution. He said: “When it comes to the lawn, I would imagine that one of the best-selling products in garden centres at this time of year is what is called the triple action products, which are bags of lawn feed with the moss killer and the weed killer built in.
“They are very ecologically damaging. It is like blanket bombing your lawn. So, you are feeding the grass, which is grand, but you are also applying chemical moss killers and chemical weed killers to the lawn, many in areas that don’t need it. They don’t have weeds or moss, so you are just blanket bombing it.”
Dowdall said the impact of these products goes beyond unnecessary chemical use, warning they may also pose risks in domestic settings. He added that applying treatments to lawns where they are not needed – particularly in areas used by families – should be carefully considered, especially where children are likely to be playing.
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