Gardening pro reveals how to keep mice out your garden for good – including a £3 hack with a kitchen cupboard essential
SEEING MICE in the garden is something we’d all rather avoid this summer.
While one or two mice will go unnoticed in the garden – an infestation will soon become apparent.
Mice love gardens as they provide everything they need to survive – and offer cover from predators.
And an infestation can rear its head quickly, destroying plants, eating freshly sown seeds and eventually finding their way into your home.
But to help you take back control of your garden, experts at Sefton Meadows Garden Centre have shared three ethical hacks to keep them out.
MAKES SCENTS
Just like rats and other rodents, mice have a powerful sense of smell to sniff out food, but you can utilise this to keep them away too.
There are certain scents that just don’t sit well with the little critters and spraying them around the garden frequently or keeping them as plants should put them off your outdoor space.
You’ll “notice a difference quickly” by focusing on food sources and nesting areas.
These scents include; vinegar, eucalyptus, cedarwood, chilli and cinnamon.
You can also grow lavender, peppermint, rosemary, or daffodils to keep them out.
SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN
Ultrasonic devices produce high-frequency waves that are believed to “irritate the delicate senses of mice,” the experts told The Express.
They can also drive away a range of other pests”, including; foxes, cockroaches, birds and flies, so they’re worth a try.
Although their effectiveness has been disputed – many claim they see a difference by using the sound devices.
Again, they are best placed in food sources as well as nesting areas.
HOME GOODS
While some might be tempted to get traps or poison to get rid of them – there are harmless ways to do it.
There are plenty of natural homemade mouse repellents that “will do the trick”.
The experts claimed: “You can create a mice repellent spray that can easily be applied around your garden, or you can soak cotton wool balls in essential oils and place them around spots that mice are more likely to inhabit.”
To make a spray, mix 250ml water and two tablespoons of essential oils (like peppermint or lavender) together and spray around areas most affected.
You may already have peppermint oil in your kitchen cupboard, but if not, you can buy it 10ml tubes on Amazon for £2.97.
6 Spring Gardening Jobs You Can Do in 60 mins
A gardening pro, or just starting your planting journey? Nigel Lawton, a gardening expert at Dobbies Garden Centres has shared the six jobs you can do to transform your garden in under an hour.
1. Tidy up
Remove dead leaves, neaten beds and borders, remove any seeds and apply a good layer of mulch over the surface with organic peat-free compost. TIME: 60 mins
2. Design beds and borders
Trim back winter flowering plants where blooms have started to fade. Start by removing any dead, diseased or damaged branches, and get rid of any branches that cross over, Nigel says.
Then prune summer flowering shrubs like Buddleia, Lavatera and hardy Fuschias to allow room for new growth. As well as encouraging new growth in the plant by removing dead material, pruning will also allow you to control the height and shape of your plants. TIME: 50 mins
3. Create a cosy patio
If you have a patio, transform it into a cosy socialising spot.
Start by giving that a good clean with a jet wash to quickly complete the job in under an hour. You can further liven up the area by adding some garden furniture paired with some cushions, some throws, and an outdoor rug. TIME: 30 mins
4. Refresh pots
To enjoy instant colour in your garden this spring, Nigel recommends refreshing your pots, hanging baskets, and window boxes with early season flowers for a country garden effect.
Plant in threes or fives to create a impactful display with small, medium, and large plants of different heights beside your door. TIME: 15 mins
5. Lawncare
Another beginner-friendly task you can do to spruce up your garden is taking care of the lawn by cultivating the soil and making sure the area is level and firm.
Rake out any moss or dead grass, and apply lawn treatement in late spring. TIME: 15-30 mins
6. Welcome wildlife
Spring is the perfect time to welcome wildlife into your garden as small animals come out of hibernation and new birds hatch into life.
To ensure your garden is a safe space for wildlife, Nigel suggests dedicating a small section of your garden to creating a wildlife-friendly habitat with pollinating plants and places for small animals and insects to shelter.
You can create a safe space for them by stacking branches in a shaded spot to help protect them from the elements. All of this can be done in under an hour. TIME: 40 mins