Rodents are some of the sneakiest pests that can enter your home and property. Mice, rats, gophers, and other rodents cause unsightly damage from tunneling through your lawn and garden, and they can also eventually enter your home. They will do anything necessary to access food, water, and shelter. Unfortunately, these rodents are also carriers of various health risks and parasites, and they can cause significant property damage with their teeth alone. Here are some tips for keeping your house and garden free of rodents.
Mow Your Lawn Regularly
Rodents, especially mice, love tall grass because it makes them feel safer and freer to roam around your yard. If you mow your lawn every one to two weeks, you should see a significant decrease in rodent activity because they will not cross the yard out in the open.
Keep Your Yard Clean
If you keep compost nearby for your garden, it could start to attract rodents because it is an ideal habitat for them. To keep the rodents as far away from your home as possible, place the compost pile across the yard from your home. Instead of piling the compost on the ground, keep it in a plastic container to make it harder for rodents to access.
After mowing your lawn or raking leaves, make sure those clippings and leaves are properly disposed of. Otherwise, rodents could make a home out of those piles of waste.
Check Your Home’s Exterior
Mice, rats, and other rodents can sneak through holes as small as a quarter. While finding every gap in your home leading to the outside is impossible, mending noticeable holes is a great place to start. Using wood, cement, caulk, or weather strips on these holes, gaps, and doorways not only helps with rodents but will help tremendously with your energy costs.
Secure Trash Bins
Instead of storing your trash and recycling bins on the grass near your home, place them on concrete to prevent rodents from easily accessing them. Additionally, metal bins are better than plastic because rodents can chew through plastic and still hide inside.
Keep Shrubbery Away from Your House
Shrubbery and landscaping surrounding your home make it look even more beautiful. But, take care to not plant shrubbery right next to the base of your house if you want to prevent rodents from getting inside. Maintaining at least a foot of open space around the foundation will discourage rodents from crossing the open space and entering your home.
On The Green Lawn Care is Here for You!
On The Green, Inc. was established back in 1994. We started as a small business that served the local area. In the decades since, we’ve expanded tremendously. Incorporated in 1997, our brand has become renowned throughout the state of Maryland. Email us at [email protected], call us at 410-695-0444, and find us at our street address: 777 Annapolis Road, Gambrills, Maryland 21054. Grow with us on Facebook and Google!