Latest news with #Vaporub
Daily Record
20-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Gardening experts recommend the top 5 plants that repel rats naturally
Rats can be a real pain - they chew through everything, from plants to electrical wires, and can spread potentially fatal diseases. Here's how to keep them at bay There's nothing more unsettling than spotting a rat in your garden – these unwelcome rodents gnaw through your plants and spread disease. Thankfully, there's a simple method to keep them at bay. Rats are notorious pests, known for devouring everything from vegetables and meat scraps to rubbish. They can also transmit unpleasant diseases, such as leptospirosis, which can lead to potentially fatal complications like Weil's Disease. Luckily, gardening gurus suggest planting certain flora known to repel these pests, reports the Mirror. It may seem odd, but rats detest the aroma of specific flowers and shrubs, even though they might be pleasing to our noses. To help with any infestaitons, Pure Pests has identified the top five plants for keeping rats at bay. 1. Lavender While many of us cherish lavender for its delicate floral scent, it's a sensory nightmare for rats due to the plant's high concentration of essential oils. An added bonus is that it attracts pollinators like bees and butterflies to your garden. This is particularly crucial given the decline in butterfly numbers in the UK, as reported by Butterfly Conservation's Big Butterfly Count. 2. Mint Humans are so fond of mint that we use it to freshen our breath. Rats, on the other hand, despise the potent freshness of mint so much that they actively avoid it. This is because mint contains menthol and other compounds which they find unpleasant. Even better, the scent of the plant is quite strong, so it creates a wide smell-barrier which repels rats. 3. Marigold These vibrant yellow flowers are known to have a heavy, musky smell, somewhat similar to overripe animals. While humans enjoy it, rats find their overpowering odour unpleasant. An added bonus is that they also find the Marigold's bright colours off putting too. Rats prefer dimmer lighting and find bright lights and colours uncomfortable. 4. Catnip This is a tip for cat-lovers. Catnip serves the dual purpose of attracting more felines to your yard, while also keeping nasty buck-toothed rodents at bay. Catnip has a sharp, minty smell and contains the oil nepetalactone, which triggers a euphoric response in cats' brains. However, it does the opposite for rats, who are completely repelled by it. 5. Camphor plant Camphor plants (not to be confused with the camphor tree) are gentle, leafy plants with dark fruits. Fortunately, their innocent appearance belies a rat-thwarting machine. They have a sharp earthy scent that is often compared to Vick's Vaporub. It is also a deterrent to rats, who despise the plant. Research shows it can even be an effective rodenticide as it causes symptoms like irritability and blurred vision in rats.
Daily Mirror
18-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
Gardeners urged to plant 5 flowers to deter rats 'find them repulsive'
If rats are overrunning your garden then experts suggest growing these five plants in your garden which will send any nasty rodents sprinting in the opposite direction There's nothing worse than discovering a rat in your garden – these nasty rodents chew through your plants and spread disease. Luckily, there's an easy way to deter them. Rats are pernicious pests and are known to eat everything from vegetables, meat scraps to rubbish. They can also spread nasty illnesses, like leptospirosis, which can cause potentially life-threatening complications like Weil's Disease. Fortunately, gardening experts recommend growing specific plants known to ward off vermin. It might sound weird, but rats hate the scent of certain flowers and bushes, even though they might smell lovely to us. Pure Pests say these are the five best rat-banishing plants to grow, as reported by Yahoo News. Lavender Most of us adore lavender for its gentle floral smell. However, for rats, it creates a sensory nightmare, due to the plant's high concentration of essential oils. It has the added benefit of attracting pollinators like bees and butterflies to your garden. This is especially important, given that butterfly numbers have dropped in the UK, according to Butterfly Conservation's Big Butterfly Count. Mint Humans love mint so much that we use it as a breath freshener. Well, not rats. Vermin hate the stringent freshness of mint so much that they go out of their way to avoid it. This is because mint contains menthol and other compounds which they find unpleasant. Even better, the scent of the plant is quite strong, so it creates a wide smell-barrier which repels rats. Marigold These cheerful yellow flowers are known to have a heavy, musky smell, somewhat similar to overripe animals. While humans enjoy it, rats find their overpowering odour unpleasant. An added bonus is that they also find the Marigold's bright colours off putting too. Rats prefer dimmer lighting and find bright lights and colours uncomfortable. Catnip This is a tip for cat-lovers. Catnip serves the dual purpose of attracting more felines to your yard, while also keeping nasty buck-toothed rodents at bay. Catnip has a sharp, minty smell and contains the oil nepetalactone, which triggers a euphoric response in cats' brains. However, it does the opposite for rats, who are completely repelled by it. Camphor plant Camphor plants (not to be confused with the camphor tree) are gentle, leafy plants with dark fruits. Fortunately, their innocent appearance belies a rat-thwarting machine. They have a sharp earthy scent that is often compared to Vick's Vaporub. It is also a deterrent to rats, who despise the plant. Research shows it can even be an effective rodenticide as it causes symptoms like irritability and blurred vision in rats.
