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Now is the season when rats can infiltrate our homes, seeking refuge from the chillier weather. However, there's a straightforward method you can employ to try and keep them at bay. These pests may be on the hunt for food and a snug place to hibernate, but you can take steps to deter them from visiting your garden. According to Kris, also known as PermacultureFX on TikTok, a simple plant can be utilised to ward off rats and mice. The edible landscape design expert, who shares a plethora of gardening tips online, said the trick is a amazing if you're after an easy way to manage pest control. Kris suggested it's an excellent plant to position near animal feed and bird storage areas, or any location that might typically attract rats. Little did you know, there are all sorts of things in your garden that can entice them in. In the video, Kris revealed: "I'm going to share with you this plant that we started using around our feed shed that is completely eradicating rats and mice. This is gold. "It's a low growing ground cover called panadol. It smells a little bit, but it has some great other medicinal properties. It's very highly scented, and it literally just keeps the rats and the mice at bay. A really fast growing ground cover.", reports the Express. If you haven't come across it before, you can cultivate panadol. What you need to bear in mind is it requires protection from frost, as it isn't a winter-hardy plant. Occasionally, it may require cultivation in a container or safeguarding when planted directly in soil. This particular herb, a variety of Plectranthus, is prized for its aromatic qualities and supposed medicinal benefits, as well as its reputation for keeping unwanted visitors at bay, though scientific evidence remains lacking. Also recognised as Plectranthus caninus, the plant is thought to ward off rats thanks to its potent, distinctive aroma. Numerous gardeners claim that positioning it near locations such as feed sheds or fruit trees successfully keeps rodents like mice, rats, snakes and squirrels away. The fragrance only emerges when the foliage is disturbed, yet the plant reportedly spreads quickly across the ground whilst possessing impressive pest-deterring capabilities. For those seeking to repel unwanted creatures, it can be positioned around tree bases or shrubs, or used as ground coverage near structures like feed stores, forming a protective barrier. In the comments section, one individual remarked: "Is it also known as the scaredy cat plant? I have the same thing growing to try and deter feral cats." That said, when purchasing it, several factors require careful consideration. Should you acquire the plant online from beyond the Irish border, you must verify it comes with the appropriate phytosanitary certificates, particularly when ordering from outside the EU. Nevertheless, purchasing from an Irish retailer will simplify this procedure considerably. Additionally, there's a possibility that individuals with allergies might experience adverse reactions to the plant, and it could cause skin irritation. If pets ingest it, the plant's essential oils can cause gastrointestinal upset and other symptoms, with the severity of toxicity depending on the quantity consumed. If you're keen to try alternative methods to deter rats, there are several other plants that might do the trick. Consider planting mint, amaryllis, sweet pea, lavender, daffodils, wood hyacinth (or squill), grape hyacinth, alliums, catnip, camphor plant, elderberry, euphorbias or wormwood. Oak and bay leaves are also believed to ward off rodents. In short, there are a variety of strategies you could experiment with.
