Rat Problems in the Veggies
You may well wonder about this headline; but the fact is that I am not the only one partial to a parsnip or two. Even though I prefer mine covered in honey and roasted, along with some lovely roast potatoes; Mr rat is not as fussy.
We’ve had a particularly heavy snow fall lately, and unlike a lot of places in the US, here in the UK it is quite all right to keep your parsnips in the ground over winter, most of the time. This means that you can pick them fresh for use.
Just a few days ago however; when my wife went out to pick the beautiful parsnips from her many and diverse planters – all she had left was a stump, where a group of beautiful parsnips had been just a couple of days before!
The fact is that we have had a particularly heavy snow covering where I stay, and wild food I suppose is at a premium. The rats have decided that our garden is the local McDonald’s, and decided to set up home!
How do I know this? Easy, rat extermination was my particular forte when I was a kid growing up on a small-holding (Steading); and I know the signs of a rat when I see one – usually though they are behind a Bank counter down the high street – but that’s another story 🙂
Rats are opportunists; which means that they are great survivors and able to eat just about anything organic – including parsnips. The danger is that once a rat has found a steady source of food, it will set up home and breed like blazes. A rat can carry two litters at once, so before you know it you are over-run with the beggars!
Live and let live! you might say? Well mostly I would agree with you; but when it comes to vermin such as rats, then it is war I’m afraid. Amongst the many diseases a rat can carry – including bubonic plague! – is Weil’s disease and lyme disease; both of which which you can contract through the rats urine, and which can lead to seriouis medical problems, and even death.
How to discourage rats:
Well there is a whole cartload of poisons available, most of them deadly not only to rats & mice; but to other living creatures also. So a word of warning..KEEP OUT OF THE WAY OF CHILDREN AND ANIMALS! Is that clear enough 🙂 Sorry but it is a serious message.
Another thing to consider is that the dead rats are themselves poisonous to carrion eaters, such as dogs, fox’s, buzzards, stoats etc etc. So if you find a dead rat that has been poisoned, then it is best to lift it and dispose of it by burning if possible.
Rather than poisoning it is sometimes preferable to trap, discourage, or shoot the vermin if al else fails.
Another more ‘friendly’ way to get rid of your rat pest problem; is simply to deny them food – not always easy, but often a good solution. I mentioned that rats are opportunists? They will set up home near any food source; so make sure they do not have one!
This is done by making sure your yard is clean and tidy, and no food bins are open, and no meal or chicken feed scattered around. If you can deny the rat food, then it will not breed, and ultimately move on to you neighbours 🙂
Keeping them out of the veggie plot can be more difficult – even with mesh fencing as they can climb fairly well – but it has to be done. You seriously do not want to be eating vegetables that rats have peed over Ugggg – Maybe now you’ll wash your veggies!
Herbs to discourage rats and other vermin
Possibly the most ‘friendly’ way to discourage rats and mice from the garden or vegetable plot is the use of aromatic herbs and their oils.
This is because herbs smells can distract or even repulse the vermin who either do not like the smells associated with aromatic herbs, or the smells themselves mask the smells of the parsnips ot other vegetables the rats are attracted to.
Either way it is a win-win situation in that the vermin are discouraged and you have not had to kill anything to do it!
Top herbs to plant that may be effective against vermin include…
- Peppermint: This is a favourite especially against mice. The peppermint oil used for cooking is ideal to make into a water spray to spray around your plants.
- Rosemary: Creates a strong aroma that can discuise your parsnips from rats.
- Chives: Like all alliums, including garlic and leeks, the chive plant has a strong scent that rats and mice do not like.
- Basil: This is a strong smelling herb that vermin do not like, but I have found to be less effective than peppermint overall.
- Oregano: Another strong smell that will mask the smell from your veggies.
In addition to herbs for distracting or discouraging rats, it is worth scattering cayenne pepper, black pepper or garlic powder around your vegetable patch to discourage vermin.
