How To Keep Mice Out of Yard

Mice are some of the most common pests that can invade your garden or backyard when left to play.

And because they can multiply fast, mice infestation can become even more problematic than you think.

Moreover, mice come in various types, and it can get challenging to identify which specific mouse specie is present in your yard.

That’s why the easiest thing to do is eliminate them fast.

Protecting your backyard should always be a priority. This guide teaches you everything to know and watch out for when dealing with mice and how our hacks can instantly become your favorite solution to pest infestations.

Why Mice Can Invade Your Backyard

Mice may be cute on television, but they are dangerous and creepy and can cause many problems.

One of the most common reasons why they can invade your backyard is because of overgrown vegetation or bushes.

If you don’t regularly trim your landscape or leave tall grasses unattended, these can become potential breeding grounds for mice. And it gets worse when the overgrown vegetation is moist or damp and warm.

Additionally, you must understand that mice are small animals that can enter any hole they can find.

If you always leave your backyard with tall grasses and bushy plants, mice will likely find hidden access that could even lead to these pests entering or squeezing inside your home.

Poor sanitation can also drive mice to your yard. It’s always best to ensure your backyard or lawn is free of junk or garbage piles where these pests can look for potential water and food sources.

Filth can also attract mice turning your backyard into their breeding ground where they can nest and feed their young.

At night when the temperature is colder, rodents will want to burrow deeper into the ground to find shelter. If your backyard’s soil is warm and moist, it can attract these pests, making them want to dig deeper in the soil and create a temporary shelter to spend the night.

The Potential Damage Mice Can Bring to Your Yard

Mice are small but terrible pests that can feed on anything they can find. And because they are clever animals, it’s easy for them to cause damage or destroy your property if you leave them be.

Mice, especially field mice, are always fond of messing up your lawn or backyard, even with their bare feet. These animals can also easily create holes, damaging your entire landscape and affecting your plants.

If your backyard has a mini garden, mice can eat these plants and vegetables, which can easily contaminate your food. These pests can also cause several diseases, with leptospirosis being the most common one experienced by most homeowners.

With the wide range of damage, these mice can cause in your backyard, you’ll want to take action as fast as possible to ensure they don’t bring these negative effects to your homegrown plants and overall lawn landscape.

8 Ways To Keep Mice Out of Your Yard

We’ve finally come to this guide’s main point: ways to keep mice out of your yard.

These hacks range from the most practical and efficient ones that will only take seconds to accomplish.

Always remember that if you don’t act now, you can expect these vermin pests to enter your home and cause an uneventful infestation.

1. Always Trim Your Backyard Grass

Most mice are nocturnal animals, so they love dark and hidden environments.

They are not fond of getting exposed because they will feel more vulnerable to their predators, including birds and foxes. This is also why mice prefer sneaking around tall grasses and bushes.

It would be best if you used this to your advantage to keep them out of your yard. Make the mice uncomfortable by regularly trimming the plants or grasses in your yard.

This will remove their cover, decreasing the chance of the mice surviving without getting caught by their predators.

We recommend cutting your yard grass to at least half to two inches, which leaves the mice out in the open if they cross your yard.

2. Throw Away Garden Waste

We know we’ve been reiterating this, but remember that mice are pests. They are attracted to anything filthy, especially garbage.

This also means you should always dispose of your garden waste, including piles of shrub clippings or grasses cut off.

It’s up to you how you want to get rid of your waste as long as you will keep them out and away from your yard.

When field mice can’t find any spot where they can hide, they will likely escape finding another yard to disturb.

3. Tidy Up Your Compost Pile

We know composting will benefit your homegrown garden by reducing landfill contribution while providing an excellent organic fertilizer.

But if you don’t maintain your compost pile enough, it could turn into a potential breeding ground for field mice. A compost pile can become a shelter and cover for these pests, and they can also be smart enough to use it as their food source.

If you want to compost, we recommend using a plastic compost tumbler instead of those open compost heap options. Compost tumblers can lift your compost off the ground while housing them inside a rodent-proof chamber.

4. Ensure the Base of Your Property Is Clear

It would be best to ensure the perimeter around and under your house is clear. It’s not enough that your backyard is neat and organized.

We recommend cutting back the bedding plants and moving them away. Shrubberies may look appealing when they are lining your house, but they can turn into the mice’s potential shelter when they are flushed up against your house’s sides.

To prevent serious mice problems from happening to your property, it’s best to keep several feet around your house clear of plants and shrubs. Keep the area barren to prevent mice from finding access to turn into their breeding space.

5. Avoid Placing Woodpiles Near Your Yard

We understand the warmth and coziness wood-burning fireplaces can bring to your home.

This also means you have a backup woodpile in case you need more. And it’s also common for homeowners to lean their woodpiles against their home’s exterior.

Let me tell you one thing: field mice are fond of warm woodpiles because they can turn them into their protected home. So you must avoid doing this, except if you wish to experience a mice infestation.

If you want those extra woodpiles for your fireplace, we recommend moving them at least 20 feet away. But that’s considering you have enough space.

You can always lean those woodpiles against an outdoor building or a shed away from your house.

6. Secure Your Trash Bins

Trash bins also contain filth. If you don’t keep them safe from mice, they could invite more mice to visit your yard and live there.

Don’t attempt to leave trash bags outside in your yard — mainly because mice have a strong sense of smell that can easily sense when there is bagged trash piled up around your lawn.

And since trash bags are made of plastics, mice can easily gnaw through them and access the waste inside. This does not only concern the mice.

Squirrels, roaches, and other pests can easily access the trash bags if you leave them scattered in your yard.

If you’re using traditional trash bins instead, check that they don’t have any holes or cracks that can serve as an entry point for these pests.

We also suggest getting trash bins with sealable lids to keep the waste protected inside and safe from pests like mice and raccoons.

7. Keep All Pet and Bird Food Inside Your House

Again, mice can eat anything. Whatever you feed your pets or birds; they can eat too. And if you leave your pets’ food outside, guarantee that these mice will get aggressive and steal them.

If you have bird feeders lying outside your home, mount them on metal poles inaccessible to mice. Or better yet, place them inside after feeding your pet birds.

If it has become a habit for you to feed your pets outside, feed them and then return the bowl inside. You should protect your pets’ food at all costs to prevent mice from constantly invading your yard, expecting more.

Moreover, you should always check for potential food and drink spills after feeding your pet to ensure there are no potential food sources the mice can use to their advantage.

8. Protect Young Trees

Field mice will eat anything but prefer tree bark, especially soft ones. Soft tree barks are commonly seen on young trees, so you should protect them.

You can use solid metal mesh or plastic sheeting to cover these saplings, especially at night. Doing this will allow you to grow these young trees undisturbed, away from mice.

Always Maintain a Mice-Free Yard

We know maintaining your yard and keeping it pest-free is not the easiest thing to do. But with the right hacks, you’re on your way to success.

Mice are versatile pests, so they can fit the tiniest holes and eat anything. You should also be clever to outsmart them and keep them away from your yard.

Cleaning and maintaining your yard help as throwing away your garbage regularly.

It’s also better to use trash bins than trash bags to prevent mice from gnawing the plastic and accessing food waste inside.