What Plants Do Rodents Hate to Smell of?

It’s never fun to discover rodents running amok around your property, and it’s even less fun when you realize you haven’t got the first clue what to do with them. The truth of the matter is, that rodents are attracted to human properties for all sorts of reasons – food, water, shelter. The choices are endless, which makes it that much trickier to devise a thorough plan for keeping them away.

Aside from kitchens, rodents are often attracted to gardens, since this offers them an easy source of delicious edibles that are fairly easy to get to. After all, it’s much harder for a rat to pillage your kitchen than it is to raid your veggie patch. Especially since you’re only out there a small portion of the time.

So what can you do to protect your garden?

The good news is that there are a bunch of natural ways to repel rodents and keep them from tearing up your garden. And the way to do this is by choosing the plants you introduce into your garden carefully. Just like rodents will like some foods more than others, they’ll also appreciate some plants over others (which they may avoid altogether).

So the trick to keeping rodents away is figuring out what plants will have this desired effect on them, and then introducing them to your garden.

1.   Mint

Among the most popular DIY (or rather, PIY – Plant It Yourself) options out there is mint, including variations like peppermint or spearmint. Because of its pungent scent, mint has been shown to actually repel rodents, as well as other wild animals. Mint can be a highly effective DIY repellent, not to mention a healthy, helpful addition to your garden. Because that’s the good part about these repellent plants – not only do they keep undesired animals away, but they can also be used in dishes, or around the house.

2.   Lavender

Another really popular and highly effective choice for mouse repellent is lavender. This gorgeous purple plant has been used for centuries to lend its distinctive scent to clothes, soaps, and skin, but also to repel mice, and other pests from your yard. Lavender works, yes, you’ve guessed it, thanks to its deeply distinctive scent. Rodents generally despise strong scents, as they tend to irritate them, so planting lavender doesn’t just have an aromatic or aesthetic effect on your garden, but also a nuisance wildlife removal one.

3.   Daffodils

You might not think of daffodils as anything other than a cutesy flower that’s easy on the eye, and a great way to add some color to your yard. But did you know these small, pretty flowers are actually quite potent rodent repellents, as well? Once again, the scent of daffodils is quite distinctive, making them an unpleasant addition to any garden for rodents.

4.   Catnip

Since catnip is also in the mint family, it’s worth mentioning that it can yield a similar effect as peppermint, or any other type you might have in your yard. Catnip has a potent scent that tends to turn mice off, just like it turns felines on. Funnily enough, growing catnip might be a particularly good idea if you own a cat, thanks to its potent, euphoric properties. And if you own a cat, then more power to you, since rodents will be less likely to visit your home, if you do.

The way that works is that mice pick up the scent of cat urine (as well as fur) and know there is danger in the nearby areas. This instinctively tells them to avoid your home, so if you’ve got a cat (and catnip in your garden), then you should do alright in keeping rodents away!

5.   Wood Hyacinth

Also known as the Spanish Bluebell, this distinctly colorful plant will act as an instant beautifier for your property. But aside from adding a splash of color to your home, the wood hyacinth will also work quite well for repelling mice and keeping them off the premises for good. Most plants in the hyacinth family are recognizable by their strong scent, and the wood hyacinth is no different (unfortunately for rodents).

6.   Amaryllis

Last but not least, we’ve got the amaryllis, a beautiful plant with a very bold color pattern that will also serve to repel mice and get them to leave your garden alone.

Using plants to repel mice is a game of trial and error, since some plants may work well for some, but less well for others. But once you’ve identified the right repelling plants for your garden, they can be quite effective. Not as effective as a wildlife removal pro like A&D Construction Plus, but definitely worth a try. So what are you waiting for? Get planting, and watch your garden become a pretty, pest-free heaven.