Hello,
Are there any fruit trees that I can plant that do not attract rodents?
We live in the West Rouge area of Toronto, very close to the lake, and there are for sure mice in the area. We are keen on planting fruit trees, but also on keeping rodents out of our backyard!
The backyard is north-facing (not sure if that is relevant information).
Thank you for your advice
Thank you for your question for Toronto Master Gardeners.
Mice like all kinds of fruit trees except the tropical Noni tree, which doesn’t grow here. If they are a problem there are some things you can do to deter them.
- Be sure to clear away all likely nesting areas such as old logs and rotting structures.
- Clean up any possible food sources such as dog food, bird feeders, compost bins.
- Space out the trees so they don’t touch each other or any buildings
- Regularly prune the trees to keep them open, not touching each other or any overhead wires.
- Put metal rodent guards on tree trunks. This should be done only after pruning.
- Some people believe that sonic deterrents available in any hardware store will work.
- There are certain scents that rodents do not like, so you may want to consider planting mint, preferably in a well contained pot. It is invasive. You can explore the use of other plants that have been known to repel mice.
I hope this helps you. You can find more gardening information by using the Find It Here Search box when you scroll down our homepage: www.torontomastergardeners.ca