It’s the end of the month, which means it’s garden
question-and-answer time. Remember, you may e-mail me questions at:
ga*******@*ps.net. Or you can mail garden questions in care of this
newspaper. For a faster, personal response, please include a
self-addressed, stamped envelope.
It’s the end of the month, which means it’s garden question-and-answer time. Remember, you may e-mail me questions at: ga*******@*ps.net. Or you can mail garden questions in care of this newspaper. For a faster, personal response, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
Q: I have found some odd-looking lemons and oranges in my back yard. The lemons are still intact, but stripped of the rind. The oranges are just the opposite. They are hollowed out with just the peel left behind. What mysterious creature is doing this?
– D.E., Gilroy
A: Congratulations, like many local residents, you have roof rats feeding in your garden. Unfortunately, I’m speaking from personal experience. Roof rats love citrus, fruit, vegetables, overgrown shrubbery, groundcover, vines, wood piles and even soda. Believe it or not, I’ve had full two-liter plastic soda bottles stored in the garage and had them bitten through at the bottom by rats. Roof rats can sometimes be seen at dusk or night utilizing utility lines and tops of fences as runways. Any neighborhood with lots of trees, mature landscaping, and citrus and fruit trees is vulnerable, which basically means any neighborhood. Roof rats are not to be confused with mice. These rats can have bodies 5 to 10 inches long, with tails longer than their bodies. They are usually brownish in color.
Take it from me, roof rats are not easy to get under control. I’ve tried large rat traps using one of their favorite foods – peanut butter – as bait. However, they are pretty clever and can often steal the bait without getting caught. Nevertheless, rat traps (which are larger than mouse traps), should be used. To maximize your chances, use several of these traps, placing them wherever you’ve noticed a problem.
I’ve tried live wire traps as well, but have yet to catch one in these contraptions. I’ve also used poison bait, but the danger here is that pets can get hold of the poison or even eat dead rats and then get very sick or die. Avoid using poison baits if you have pets around.
You can also use steel wool to eliminate vent openings or openings into your garage. However, I have yet to find anything to eliminate the gap underneath my side garage door. I know the rats are getting in under the half-inch gap. You can also call a professional exterminator, but basically all they’ll do is set traps, too.
At the same time, eliminate sources of food. This translates to harvesting fruits and vegetables as they become ripe, picking on a daily basis if necessary. Never leave uneaten pet food out overnight. Trim landscaping away from the houses, trees and utility poles. Eliminate standing water. Store wood at least 18 inches off the ground and 12 inches away from walls and fences. Good luck, because I’ve been dealing with the roof rat problem for years.
