Rats and mice don't hibernate in winter like other garden pests, instead, they look for warm places to shelter. To keep these rodents out of your garden, plant retailer David's Garden Seeds suggests planting certain herbs that can repel them, the Express reports. Herbs with strong smells such as mint, catnip, rosemary, sage, lavender, oregano, and basil are effective at keeping rats and mice away. These herbs have a strong aroma which is overwhelming for rodents.
Sage is often placed around plants that are being targeted, creating an affordable barrier. Sage is versatile and will grow in any soil type as long as it gets sun. Marigolds and painted daisies are also disliked by rats and mice, so consider planting them around the borders of your garden.
Rodents also "hate the strong smell of garlic". To keep them away, gardeners can plant garlic bulbs in their gardens from now until spring. Another tip is to chop garlic, boil it in water, strain it, and then spray the liquid on the bottoms of plants. You can also spread chopped garlic around the garden's edge.
Using garlic spray is great because it avoids the need for more harmful pesticides.
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story.
