How to keep rodents out of my garden

Some may think that by releasing or relocating a rodent back outside; but that’s hardly ever the case. After being thrown out, or even before managing to enter the household at all, gardens and backyards are a world of possibilities for rodents. They provide shelter inside shelters, the nooks of trees, and leaves and twigs can be used to build nests. Especially for home owners who enjoy planting flowers, fruits and vegetables, these are rodent’s ultimate food sources. Sprinklers can also act as a reliable way to access water. In other words, gardens are the perfect place for rodents to settle in.

However, it is widely known for rodents to carry around dangerous diseases that can be passed over to humans and affect us greatly. If we do not take care of the problem from the moment you are aware a rodent is present in your garden, rodents can eventually colonize and take over the whole area; making the problem a great deal worse. In fact, the more rats and mice there are, the more likely they are to seek shelter inside your house.

Before any measures are taken to keep rodents out of your garden, it is important to first understand what is appealing to rodents, and evaluate what we may already have that is potentially contributing to the presence of rodents.



If you are in any doubts of rodents in your garden, you should look out for signs like disappearing plants during the night, small piles of soil on the ground from rodents’ construction of tunnels and rodent droppings.

Specifically, you should pay additional attention to garbage and recycling bins, compost piles and sheds; as these seem to be the best places for rodents to settle in. They provide shelter, as well as plenty of food resources.

To keep them out of your garden there are several strategies you can use. For example, removing brush , wood piles and tall grass to prevent them for building shelters. Birdfeeders are a good food source for rodents, especially because many of them can climb trees. You may need to remove them for some time, or avoid spilling seeds on the ground by not overfilling the feeder, and keeping the bird food in a safe, metal enclosure. Another method that can minimize rodents’ food sources is using treatments to eliminate lawn grubs. Keeping a fence around your garden is also a good and common strategy. You can wrap mesh material around the separate fence poles to prevent smaller pests like mice from getting in.

If all else fails, you may want to consider turning to using traps. There are many humane ways of catching rodents that are safe for children and pets, as well as for the rodents themselves. After rodents are captured, you can relocate them somewhere else away from your home.


Visit our Wildlife Trapper Middletown home page to learn more about us.