The Fall Yard Cleanup Mistake That Is Attracting Rats Into Your Home

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While you're savoring pumpkin pie and soaking up the scent of firewood, a tiny army of pests you'll want to banish immediately is gathering supplies for winter in your yard. Ironically, rats manage to live better than some of us. They eat organic (straight from your yard), sleep warm (probably inside your walls), and never lift a paw to earn it. You might assume these scampering freeloaders are attracted to trash, but your yard has something even more tempting for them. Walnuts, acorns, almonds, pecans, and chestnuts are like breadcrumbs leading straight to your yard, and later, to your home. So, the biggest fall cleanup mistake you might be making is not picking them up.

Nuts are like energy bars for rats. They're packed with protein and that irresistible natural oil scent. To them, your uncollected harvest is an open invitation to feast. Some of them may stash the nuts for the next season. They might also build nests nearby and wait for the right moment to sneak indoors. So, this fall, as you admire the colors of the season, don't forget to look down and clear the bounty beneath your nut trees. What seems like a small oversight to you looks like survival gold to a rat. (And it might even help you keep insects out of your house, as well.)

First things first, stop rolling out the red carpet for rats and clean up those fallen nuts. You can go old-school with a rake or use a specialized product like the Zozen Nut Gatherer. It's a long-handled tool with an oval basket at the end. When you roll it over the ground, it swallows up every nut in its path. You also won't need to bend over for the purpose, which will let you avoid a sore back. If it still seems like an overwhelming task, you can always try to ask the neighbor kids to collect fallen nuts. They'll have fun, and you'll have one less thing luring trouble your way.

But don't stop there. While the fallen nuts are a feast, the trees themselves are an irresistible promise. So, harvest before the rats do. Walnuts are typically ready from early September to November. Almond trees, on the other hand, can be harvested from early August through September. They're, in fact, known to bring a bountiful harvest to your yard. Meanwhile, chestnuts are usually ripe in late August and September. Timing matters here because it's the difference between enjoying your harvest and surrendering it to rats. Remember, nature rewards those who stay one step ahead. Reclaim your space from those tiny opportunists that assume your home was built for them, too.