If you’re looking for a natural method to keep rats away from your home and outdoor spaces, there are three plants you can grow that they apparently ‘can’t stand’
02:00, 03 Aug 2025

Rats will gnaw through timber or tunnel beneath concrete to reach food and shelter inside your property if they manage to establish a nest in your garden.
Whilst numerous specialists have offered advice for preventing rats from entering your garden and house using chemical methods, you can also plant particular species in your garden to repel them.
Rats possess keen senses of smell and certain aromas are overwhelming for them, so when they detect these scents, they typically abandon the area where the odour originates. In other related news, gardeners can vanish patio weeds in 24 hours using a common kitchen item.
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Pest management specialists at Critter Control suggest that there are plants which can help “keep rats away for good”, reports the Express.
Garlic

Your household garden or seasoning collection may contain a swift remedy to your escalating rat issue. If you enjoy cultivating your own produce in your garden, rats might be drawn to it, but incorporating some garlic into your growing selection could solve the problem.
Whilst the sharp aroma of garlic may be rather appetising to people, the fragrance is “incredibly abrasive to rats”, state the specialists. If you prefer not to cultivate your own garlic or lack the room, you can introduce garlic into your garden by simply positioning the bulbs around the flower borders, and that ought to be effective.
Onions

Like garlic, “rats despise the smell” of onions. Nevertheless, you can employ onions for rat deterrence without cultivating them in your garden. Simply position several slices of fresh onion outdoors around your property to help “drive rats far from your property”.
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Lavender

Lavender is a beautiful purple herb, but it’s not just its stunning appearance that makes it a valuable addition to your garden. If growing vegetables isn’t your cup of tea, consider planting some lavender around your property to deter rats.
The fragrant and delightful flower will certainly leave your area smelling divine. Rats will “stay far away”, as lavender is another “one of the many scents that the nuisance rodents can’t stand”.
The lavender’s potent aroma will prevent the rats from detecting any potential food sources in the garden, rendering it completely unappealing to them.
By adding these three items to your garden, pests will stay far away from your fresh produce and hard-worked patios without the need for hard chemicals. The best thing about it is that it won’t cost you anything extra – just a few minutes of your day!