I love growing my own food but I have had to limit the types of plants I grow because rats always come and eat them.

In previous years I have had rats devour my entire beet, carrot, pea, and strawberry harvests each in a matter of one or two nights.

I set snap traps every night with peanut butter (and trip them every morning so I don’t kill any birds). Last year I killed 17, this year I have already killed 5.

I am now growing peas that climb taller so the rats can’t reach them. Next year I plan on hanging my strawberry plants off the ground. I have started removing all the lower branches of my tomatoes so they can’t climb them. I have given up on carrots, beets, and daikon…

Has anyone found any effective methods to manage this? My neighbour won’t do anything about the rats and their property is entirely overgrown.

I have heard spreading hot pepper flakes can discourage them from coming around.

  • kiwifoxtrot@lemmy.worldEnglish
    4·
    1 year ago

    Try liquid fence. It contains a lot of oils such as garlic, cinnamon, and mint that will repel most animals.

    • EdibleSource@lemmy.mlOPEnglish
      2·
      1 year ago

      Thanks. It doesn’t look like it is available in Canada, unfortunately. Bobbex looks similar, but I can’t find anyone saying it is effective against rats.