On our pest control blog, we’ve focused a lot of attention on keeping mice out of the house since this is an issue that so many New Jersey homeowners deal with. But as winter transitions into spring, you might be wondering how to protect your garden from mice so that they don’t damage your beautiful flowers and delicious vegetables.
Here are some tips for how to get rid of field mice in gardens so that you can enjoy your outside space without the burden of unwanted pests.
Field Mice v. House Mice
There are various types of mice that live in New Jersey, so it’s a good idea to know which ones you’re dealing with to effectively address the problem. Field mice commonly affect gardens because they live in fields, grass, and weeds. They are also referred to as deer mice and pose risks of carrying Lyme disease. Field mice are usually brown in color but have white feet, legs, and bellies. However, house mice are almost always solid brown or gray. Field mice have tails that are dark on top and light underneath, compared to house mice that have hairless tails. Another difference between the two types is field mice hoard crumbs of food by their nests while house mice rarely exhibit this behavior.
What Do Field Mice Eat?
Field mice eat both plants and meat and are skilled at thriving in the wilderness. They commonly eat seeds, mushrooms, berries, and insects that they find in the outdoors. However, these mice also love feasting upon root vegetables and young plants in gardens.
How to Get Rid of Field Mice in the Garden
It is very easy for field mice to enter a garden and find abundant food to live off of. Signs of mice in your garden include tunnels in the dirt, mice droppings, and new seedlings that disappear overnight. Field mice love certain areas of the garden, such as compost piles, garbage bins, bird feeders, and piles of wood.
Your first step in controlling mice should be to remove these prefered shelter spots by moving things around and discarding what you can. You can seal up small holes in the ground to prevent mice from getting too comfortable here and place tubes around new seedlings to prevent mice from eating them.
Get Professional Help with Garden Mice
If these measures don’t help and you are still battling mice in the garden, call Precise Termite & Pest Control for support. We can help you prevent and get rid of field mice so that you don’t put yourself or pets at risk and also so that you don’t prevent beneficial wildlife from entering your garden. You deserve a beautiful outdoor space this year, so don’t let mice ruin it for you!