Do Raised Beds Attract Rats?
There are many ways to prevent rats from taking up residence in your garden. One of the best ways is to keep your garden clean. Rats are drawn to gardens for a variety of reasons, including fresh soil, water, and food. While you might not want to lose the vegetables you love, there are some steps you can take to keep unwanted animals away.
If you have raised beds, the first step is to keep them free of clutter. Keep them free of fallen fruit and vegetables. If you leave them lying around, rats will find them very tempting. You can also keep them away by ensuring that the plants that you grow in the beds are as tidy as possible.
Rats can be a major problem in your garden. They are vermin and can carry diseases to humans. In addition to being pests, rats can also live in your decking, greenhouse, and compost heap. Rats are usually nocturnal and are best avoided during the day. They will leave behind trails that are 6-9cm wide, ‘runs’ about 3 feet long, and gnaw wood.
If you are unable to find the rats in your garden, you can look for their droppings. The droppings are about half an inch long and are flat and pointed. They can gnaw through many things, including brick, concrete, wood, and even cinder blocks.