This time of year is ideal for rats as it is prime breeding season. They are also on the hunt for food and shelter, with them considering our gardens as perfect spots for both. Thankfully, you can make your garden less appealing to rats with just one straightforward change.
Alan recommends gardeners keep their lawns short so the rodents have nowhere to hide.
He said in a video of BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine: “Rats are furtive. They like cover and shelter. They do not like close-mown grass where they can be seen. They much prefer it longer.”
The simple change of staying on top of cutting your grass can make a huge difference to stopping rats from entering your garden. Alan added: “If you have got long grass everywhere, that gives them access”, reports the Mirror.
“Cut it short, have a stripe or two if you want, and that way you can see, no rats.”
Alan said: “Most gardeners, myself included, love encouraging garden birds, so bird feeders are everywhere in this garden. But, they can also be a magnet for rats.”
To prevent this from occurring, Alan recommended relocating the bird feeder to the centre of your lawn, as rats hate crossing open, exposed areas. Keep the feeders well away from bushes, hedges or walls.
If you have a compost heap, that can also be a significant attraction for rats. The heaps should be a solid structure with as few gaps as possible. Alan’s own compost heap is constructed from solid wood with steel sheeting lining the inside.
He said: “Hopefully that goes right down to the ground. They can burrow underneath it, but I am really reducing their ability to get in with ease. That’s a start, make the heap with good, strong sides.”
Alan explained you need to be careful about what goes into the compost heap. He said: “Don’t put processed food, anything you have cooked, any meat, any potatoes.
“Don’t do that because it’s just an absolute open invitation for rats.” Instead, Alan suggests adding mouldy apples as they decompose quickly, along with any green clippings from the garden.
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