What Do Rats Eat In The Garden

If you’ve noticed holes in your vegetable patch or missing fruit, you might be wondering what do rats eat in the garden. These pests have a broad diet and can cause significant damage to your plants and stored supplies.

This guide will help you understand their feeding habits. We’ll cover how to spot the signs of their activity and, most importantly, how to protect your garden effectively.

Rats are opportunistic omnivores. They will eat almost anything they can find, but they have clear favorites in a garden setting. Their diet changes with the seasons, depending on what’s available.

Knowing what attracts them is the first step in control. Here’s a breakdown of their primary food sources in your outdoor space.

Favorite Plant-Based Foods

Rats love fruits and vegetables, often taking bites out of them while they are still on the plant. They are not tidy eaters, so you’ll see evidence.

Fruits: Berries (strawberries, raspberries), tomatoes, melons, squash, and fallen apples or pears are a huge draw. They’ll also climb to get to citrus and stone fruits.
Vegetables: Corn (they strip the husks), pumpkins, root vegetables like carrots and potatoes, and legumes such as peas and beans are common targets.
Seeds and Grains: They will raid bird feeders with great enthusiasm. Newly planted seeds like corn, sunflower seeds, and pea seeds are often dug up and eaten.
Bulbs and Tubers: Rats, especially species like the Norway rat, will burrow to feed on tulip, crocus, and daffodil bulbs, as well as potato tubers.

Protein and Other Sources

Rats need protein to thrive. Your garden provides plenty of sources beyond your plants.

Insects and Snails: They will eat grubs, caterpillars, and snails. This might seem helpful, but their overall damage far outweighs this benefit.
Pet Food: Outdoor pet dishes left overnight are a guaranteed rat buffet. Compost bins that contain meat, dairy, or oily food scraps are equally attractive.
Bird Eggs and Nestlings: Rats are adept climbers and will raid the nests of garden birds, consuming eggs and young chicks.

Signs Rats Are Eating in Your Garden

You might not see the rats themselves, as they are mostly nocturnal. Look for these telltale signs instead:

Holes and Burrows: Look for entrance holes 2-4 inches in diameter, often near foundations, compost piles, or under sheds.
Gnaw Marks: On fruits, vegetables, plastic bins, wood, and even wiring. Their teeth marks are typically paired grooves about ⅛ inch apart.
Droppings: Dark, spindle-shaped droppings, about ½ to ¾ inch long, found along runways or near food sources.
Runways: Greasy, dark smudges along walls or fences, and flattened paths through grass or undergrowth.
Partially Eaten Produce: Fruits and veggies with large, ragged holes or entire sections missing, often found with droppings nearby.

How to Protect Your Garden from Rats

Prevention is always better than trying to deal with an established infestation. A multi-pronged approach works best.

1. Remove Food Sources

This is the most critical step. If there’s nothing to eat, rats will move on.

Harvest ripe produce immediately. Pick up all fallen fruit and vegetables daily.
Use secure, rat-proof compost bins. Only compost plant material—never add meat, dairy, or cooked foods.
Store bird seed, pet food, and animal feed in metal containers with tight lids. Remove bird feeders at dusk or use catch trays to prevent spillage.
Clean up any spilled feed or fruit from the ground promptly.

2. Eliminate Shelter and Nesting Sites

Rats need safe places to live and breed. Make your garden less inviting.

Clear away piles of wood, debris, and dense ground cover near buildings and garden beds.
Keep grass trimmed and avoid letting ivy or other dense plants create cover.
Seal gaps under sheds, decking, and greenhouses with heavy-gauge wire mesh (hardware cloth) buried at least 12 inches deep to prevent burrowing.
Store firewood and materials neatly off the ground.

3. Use Physical Barriers

Protect your prized plants directly with barriers.

Wrap tree trunks with metal guards to prevent climbing.
Use cloches, netting, or wire mesh cages around vulnerable plants like strawberries or young seedlings.
Line raised beds with hardware cloth before filling with soil to stop burrowing from below.
Install sturdy fencing that extends underground to deter them from entering the garden area.

4. Consider Trapping and Deterrence

If rats are already present, you may need to take direct action.

Snap Traps: The classic and most effective method for control. Use multiple traps baited with peanut butter, dried fruit, or nut meat. Place them along runways or walls, with the trigger facing the wall.
Live Traps: Check local regulations before using. You must release the rat far away (over 2 miles) to prevent its return, and this can just move the problem elsewhere.
Ultrasonic Devices: Their effectiveness is debated, but they may provide some short-term deterrence in small areas.
Natural Predators: Encouraging birds of prey by installing owl boxes can help. However, this alone is rarely sufficent for a serious problem.

What Not to Do

Some common methods can be ineffective or create bigger problems.

Rodenticides (Poison Baits): Use with extreme caution outdoors. Poisoned rats can die in inaccessible places, causing odor, or be eaten by pets, birds of prey, or other wildlife, poisoning them in turn. It’s often a last resort.
Mothballs or Ammonia: These are not recommended. They can contaminate soil and water, harm pets and children, and are largely ineffective against rats in open areas.
Ignoring the Problem: Rats reproduce rapidly. A small problem can become a major infestation in just a few weeks.

FAQ: Garden Rats and Their Diet

What smells do rats hate in the garden?

Rats have a strong sense of smell and dislike certain scents. Peppermint oil, citronella, and ammonia can deter them temporarily. However, smells alone are rarely a complete solution and need frequent reapplication, especially after rain.

Do rats eat tomato plants?

Yes, rats eat tomatoes. They are particularly fond of ripe, juicy fruits. They will take bites out of tomatoes still on the vine, often leaving the rest to rot. They may also nibble on young tomato plant stems.

What is eating my vegetables at night?

While several pests are nocturnal, the signs can help identify the culprit. Large, ragged holes and missing entire plants often point to rats or mice. Smaller, more precise damage might be from slugs, snails, or caterpillars. Look for accompanying signs like droppings or burrows.

Are rats bad for the garden?

Beyond direct damage to crops, rats pose several risks. They can undermine structures with their burrows, gnaw on irrigation lines, and carry diseases that can contaminate soil and surfaces. Their presence also attracts larger predators.

Will rats leave the garden on their own?

They are unlikely to leave if food, water, and shelter remain plentiful. You must make the environment inhospitable by removing these attractants. Proactive management is key to encouraging them to move elsewhere.

Dealing with garden rats requires patience and consistency. By understanding exactly what do rats eat in the garden, you can systematically remove their food sources and shelter. Start with prevention through good garden hygiene and physical barriers. If needed, use targeted trapping while always considering the safety of other wildlife and your pets.

With these steps, you can reclaim your garden and enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor without sharing them with unwanted rodent visitors. Regular monitoring is essential to catch any new activity early.