Tips on keeping rodents out of the garden
We all have our limits on what we will and won’t tolerate when it comes to pests in the home and garden, but there are good reasons to control rodent populations, says Contra Costa Master Gardener Steve Griffin.
Rodents — rats, mice, moles, gophers, tree squirrels and ground squirrels — can cause damage to infrastructure and spread diseases.
Here are some of Griffin’s tips on keeping them from becoming too much of a pest.
The first step is to n identify what type of rodent problem you have. Knowing what animal is eating your plants, digging holes in your yard or snacking on food in the kitchen will determine what steps you take to control it.
Take a good look at n your home and yard. Are you inviting the pests in by leaving pet food out, feeding the birds or having fruit trees?
Next, look at changes n you can make to discourage rodents from visiting. You may need to start storing food in containers, removing food after pets have eaten, and pruning trees away from your home to prevent rodents from climbing onto your roof and into your attic.
Buttoning up entryways n into your home also will help eliminate the problems inside, Griffin says. Outside, look at fencing and other exclusions.
If you decide to take n lethal steps to control rodents, choose your tools carefully. Never use poisons, which often unintentionally kill other animals.
If you use traps that n capture animals alive, you’ll have to release them on your own property — it is against the law to relocate them without a permit from state officials, which is seldom given — or humanely kill the animals.