Keep Snakes Out Of Your Yard With The Help Of A Sweet And Spicy Scent They Hate

The last thing anyone wants to see while tending to their garden is a snake. Unfortunately, snakes tend to make a habit of visiting yards due to the abundance of hiding places and tasty treats for prey like mice, rats, and insects. While there are certainly mistakes to avoid when trying to get rid of snakes, one particularly easy method involves an inexpensive item — cloves. More specifically, clove oil is an all-natural essential oil that can help repel a variety of pests, including snakes. Since snakes have a very keen sense of smell, the spicy scent can send them packing.

However, there are a few things to consider before using clove oil as a snake repellent. For starters, it typically has to be sprayed directly on the snake to work. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, clove oil was proven effective as a repellent when sprayed on brown tree snakes. The effectiveness of clove oil spray may vary. It's also recommended to consult with wildlife authorities before using a repellent on the off-chance that the snake is considered a threatened or endangered species. While not foolproof, when combined with other preventative measures, clove oil can be a relatively easy and inexpensive aid for keeping snakes out of your yard.

Clove and cinnamon oil are considered a powerful duo for snake repellents. However, instead of focusing solely on clove oil as a snake repellent, you can also use it to repel a snake's food source. Mice, rats, and some insects are no more fond of the scent of cloves than snakes. Simply wrap whole cloves in a cloth, or soak cotton balls in clove oil, and place them in areas around your home or garden that are likely to attract pests — and especially in areas where you've seen mice or other pests before. You should replace your cotton balls or wrapped cloves frequently in order to keep your home and garden protected.

You can also use drops of clove oil and cinnamon oil in a gallon of water to create a spray that can be used both on snakes, and around your garden. While it's generally not considered the most effective way to deter snakes, some pest companies recommend using clove oil spray as perimeter protection for your yard. It's even used in commercial snake repellent sprays. However, it's essential to note that if you spray your yard with this solution, you'll need to reapply it every few weeks or after a heavy rainfall. You can even add cinnamon oil and a few crushed garlic cloves to the mix for a more pungent solution.

The ultimate goal is to make your yard as unappealing as possible for snakes, which can involve using multiple different tactics. First, eliminate areas where snakes can find shelter. This means filling any holes in your lawn, or cracks in your home's foundation. Another consideration is that snakes enjoy tall grasses, so make sure to keep your grass cut. Snakes also look for water sources, so if you have a pool or pond in your garden, you'll need to protect those areas, too. Soak cloth or rags in ammonia and place them in bags around your pool or pond area, remembering to change them out daily.

You can also use natural items like crushed eggshells and coffee grounds to keep snakes away from the perimeter of your garden. The smell can be overpowering to them, plus the texture of the shells can be uncomfortable. Alternatively, pine cones and even mulch can double as a protective barrier for your garden. The prickly, sticky texture can be a deterrent for snakes, and may even keep small outdoor animals from your garden, including squirrels and cats.