Rodents Are Eating Roots of Strawberry Plants

Likely Culprits

• In home gardens, the most likely rodents you'll find feeding on strawberry plant roots are mice and voles, but chipmunks, squirrels and gophers may also feed on them. You may not notice the presence of rodents until they’ve damaged your plants' tender roots. Mice and squirrels can climb, jump and dig around most barriers, and mice can squeeze through tiny openings to get at your strawberry plants. Voles are similar to mice in appearance, except they have a rounded head and snout and a shorter tail. Both of these rodents will dig to get at the roots of your strawberry plants, and they will also use old tunnels dug by moles.

Damage

• The damage rodents cause in your garden isn’t limited to strawberry plant roots. Mice and chipmunks will chew on the bark and roots of fruit and vegetable plants and young trees. They will also feed on foliage, bulbs and the fruit of a wide range of plants. Squirrels damage property as they seek shelter inside your home. Voles prefer fruit during the growing season, but typically move on to the roots of your strawberry plants when there is no fruit to eat.

Control

• Setting mousetraps around your garden can control minor mouse and vole problems. Use peanut butter as bait and check the traps daily to remove captured rodents. The traps must be placed in areas where the mice or voles travel, or near areas where they’ve tunneled under the soil. It is almost impossible to completely exclude all rodents from your landscape. Instead, the most effective way to protect your plants is to make your garden unappealing to rodents. Clean up spilled bird seed, and make sure all pet food and garbage is stored in sealed containers. Remove or trim ground cover and weeds to eliminate shelter; empty out flower pots, barrels or any container that collects rainwater. Bury 1/4-inch mesh hardware cloth in the ground to a depth of about 3 to 4 inches around the garden bed. Bend the top edge to make an L-shape, so that the mesh angles outward. The mesh should reach about 18 inches high. This makes it extremely difficult for most rodents to climb over or dig under the mesh to reach your plants.

Repellents

• You can buy commercial rodent repellents, but many -- such as plants, sprays and scare devices -- have not been proven effective. You can also try products sold at nurseries and garden centers that contain the ingredient thiram. These can be effective in deterring mice and voles from your strawberry plants. Use only commercially prepared formulas and follow the label directions for use and safety to maximize the repellent’s effectiveness and to prevent damage to your plants. If you have pets, their presence may be enough to deter the rodents.