Plants That Keep Rats Away

Keeping plants, whether indoors or in a garden, has a ton of benefits. You probably already know that they improve air quality and boost your mental health, but did you know about plants that keep rats away?

Here are a few plants you can start growing to help you repel rats and other rodents from your home or garden. Now, these plants are no replacement for our recommended rodent control methods. Even so, they won’t get chewed up and they definitely won’t hurt to grow. Plus, many of these plants have additional uses!

Mint

You might already be familiar with peppermint oil as a DIY rat repellent, but did you know that the fragrant plant itself has a similar effect?

Peppermint is the most popular, of course, but other types of mint will also help. Rodents don’t like the cool, fresh smell so it’s the one plant they’ll definitely stay away from. You can also dry the mint you grow and place it in satchels around your home!

More bonuses? Peppermint is easy to grow and the leaves are fantastic in tea, lemonade, or salads.

Rosemary

Rosemary is another plant with a potent scent that doesn’t appeal to rats. Rosemary grows as a bush, and it looks beautiful lining a garden and creating an anti-rat border. Just keep in mind that rosemary grows best in very sunny areas, and once it starts thriving it needs some careful management.

In addition to repelling rats, rosemary leaves are a delicious addition to a lot of savory recipes like roast potatoes or chicken.

Lavender

Lavender is another fantastic fragrant plant. Humans find the scent calming, but rats and other pests stay away. Instead, lavender will attract bees and other important pollinators to your yard, so overall, it’s a useful plant that contributes to the health of your garden. You can even collect lavender twigs to scent your home, which may have some rodent-repelling properties, as well.

Garlic & Onion

Garlic, onion, and other alliums are a delicious addition to every garden, and they’re also plants that keep rats away. The sulfur naturally present in them is toxic to rats, so they know to avoid them. That said, when growing in your garden, the smell isn’t all that noticeable, so while they’ll stay away from tasty onions and garlic, they won’t necessarily keep them away from your garden as a whole.

Things to Keep In Mind Before You Plant

It might be tempting to go out and buy all of these plants that keep rats away. Before you do that, consider the area where you live and what’s appropriate for it. Double-check that the plants you choose will grow well in your area and that they don’t present a risk to the local ecosystem.

Additionally, remember that while these plants definitely won’t attract rodents, their ability to repel is mostly anecdotal. If you’re dealing with a current rat infestation, a garden remodel certainly won’t suffice!

If you’d like to ensure that your home or property is as unattractive to rats as possible, consider our rodent control services. We will help you identify your house’s weak spots and carry out whatever it takes to drive rodents away.