Over Christmas I grew to become conscious that rats have been visiting, or residing within the greenhouse. I don’t like rats at the most effective of instances and I actually didn’t need to share the greenhouse with them. That they had been digging holes in amongst the salads and nipping off the guidelines of the iris reticulata I used to be rising in pots.
These have been inconveniences, however the factor that apprehensive me most was the potential of them spreading Weil’s illness by way of their urine. Apparently they’re pee-as-you-go animals, so it was potential that the salads had been liberally sprinkled and consuming them didn’t appear to be a good suggestion. I pulled all of them up (sporting gloves) – farewell early spring salads – and moved the iris right into a coldframe.
Whereas I used to be working, the cat ambled in, sniffed right here and there after which wandered off, indicating that the rats have been in all probability visiting slightly than resident – and that he was not inclined to hold round and catch one.
My subsequent step was considerably lateral – it’s the time of yr once I use a garlic bomb to fumigate the greenhouse and it occurred to me that the mixture of thick yellow smoke and a really sturdy garlicky pong may persuade them to go elsewhere. I’ve no thought whether or not it labored on the rats, nevertheless it does imply that different lurking pests may have been handled.
As I used to be now pretty assured {that a} thorough tidying of the greenhouse wouldn’t lead to me coming head to head with a rat, I moved as many potted vegetation as I might into chilly frames, cleaned the bench and eliminated all of the seedtrays and so forth that lurked beneath.
All this work revealed the place the place the rats have been getting in – that they had been digging by way of from exterior the place there was a niche within the brickwork foundations.
I’ve now blocked the exterior gap with wire wool (the one factor they gained’t gnaw by way of) and banged slates into the soil near their tunnel contained in the greenhouse and packed behind the slates with extra wire wool. 
Hopefully this would be the finish of the ratastrophe, however to ensure I’ve put some rat bait down – and to date it has not been touched.
The excellent news is that the micro organism that causes Weil’s illness doesn’t stay for greater than an hour away from its host (in dry circumstances) in order quickly as I’m assured that I’ve routed the rats I can sow some extra salads.
And I’ve received a clear and tidy greenhouse!
The put up Ratastrophe! first appeared on The Enduring Gardener.
