Mice

Mice   One or two mice in the garden are nothing to worry about, since critters are an essential part of our ecosystem. The problem arises when a herd of mice mutually decides to attack your beloved crops, resulting in destruction of your green haven. All mice have a distinct pattern of destruction. However, it is still important to make sure the mystery intruder in your garden are mice. A mice infestation usually appears as half-nibbled fruits, disappearing seeds, holes and underground beds in soil. These nocturnal critters only come out to feed at night. The long-tailed field mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) is the most common species spotted in gardens. They feature a long tail, large ears, and a white underside. Adult mice can grow up to 12 cm long and are commonly seen under dense shrubs and trees. Wait, there’s more! These hairy critters do not hibernate in winters and breed throughout the summer, resulting in a large population of mice in North America. Thus, it is practically impossible to eliminate all the mice near you. The only plausible solution is to deter them through natural methods. Read on to learn what attracts mice to your garden and how to effectively keep them away. What attracts them to the garden? The biggest attraction for mice in your garden lies in the array of leafy vegetables, succulent fruits, and young stems, leaves, and seedlings. Of course, no critter will pass on that. It is important to understand what attracts mice to your garden so you can at least hide, if not eradicate the root cause. Food sources Mice see your well-kept yard as an open invitation to a buffet feast. And rightfully so! The more maintained and diverse your garden is, the more appealing it is to the critters. From freshly sown seeds to young seedlings, your garden comes off as a complete package. Accessible drinking water Gardens usually have multiple sources of water, from birdbaths to fish ponds and even puddles of standing water. This provides sufficient hydration to mice, and makes your garden a heaven for these critters. After all, what more do mice need? Shelter and hiding spots Gardens make the perfect hiding spot for critters, including mice, due to dense vegetation which protects them from predators. Besides, they also need a safe shelter for breeding, making your backyard an ideal choice. How to deter them away? Now that you know what attracts mice to your garden, all you need to do is remove their source of attraction. Read on to learn more about it. Natural deterrents to keep them away: Reduce food sources The number one reason why mice are attracted to your garden is the availability of accessible food sources. From birdfeeds to fallen fruits and heaps of compost, your garden provides an array of delectable treats. Start by cleaning your yard and removing all food sources. Make sure you cover your trash cans and dump the garbage everyday. Get a birdhouse that is tall enough to prevent mice from stealing the bird feed. Cover your crops with fine mesh wiring, and the seed trays with propagator lids. These nibbling intruders cause the most damage to freshly sown seeds. Hence, consider growing the seeds indoors for the first couple of weeks until they mature. Eliminate breeding spots Mice have a relatively short reproductive cycle, with the female mice reproducing 10 times per year. This means they are always on the lookout for breeding spots, and what better option than a dense, overgrown backyard. For this reason, cleaning your gardens frequently is important.  Trimming the overgrown grasses and shrubs, and keeping the compost bins secured, greatly helps limit mice entry. Natural predators Introducing natural predators, such as cats, owls, and snakes to your garden can serve as an effective natural deterrent for mice. Mice have strong senses, and they can detect the presence of these predators from miles away. If you have a pet cat, start by letting it out in your garden to chase the mice away. You can later install owl boxes and grow wild vegetation to invite other predators. Mouse resistant plant species Although mice nibble on anything that comes their way, there are some plant species they detest. By growing these mouse-resistant species on the borders of your garden, you can form a protective barrier around your precious harvest. Make sure you grow low-maintenance, inexpensive, wild plants on the outskirts, so even if the mice decide to feed on them, your crops stay safe. Plants that repel mice due to their strong scents include rosemary, garlic, lavender, marigold, peppermint, and daffodils. Premise of other deterrents Bucket mouse traps Baiting the mice using peanut butter and trapping them in bucket mouse traps is an effective way of keeping them away and has been used for centuries. All you need is a bucket with holes on both sides. Insert a metal rod, coated with peanut butter in the holes, and place a ramp, allowing the mice to reach the top. You can choose to fill the bucket with water if you want to kill the trapped mice or release the trapped mice at a far distance from your garden. Plug-in rodent repelling devices There are several electronic ultrasonic devices available in the market that emit high frequency sounds, only detected by rodents. The sounds scare the mice as well as other critters away without harming humans or your pets. Make sure you turn off the device when letting your pets out. Olfactory repellants Since mice hate strong scents, the possibilities of using this weakness against them are endless. You can tie up a handful of spices with strong scents, such as star anise, cinnamon sticks, and cloves in cheesecloth. Tie the cloth bag with a string, and place it at different locations in your garden. In addition, you can also make mice repellant sprays at home using household ingredients. Mix lavender oil, cayenne pepper, mint, and garlic in boiling water and spray the mixture on your plants. Soaking cotton balls in essential oils, such as peppermint, lavender, or eucalyptus oil and placing them throughout your gardens works equally well.