Master Gardener: How to keep rodents and other critters out of the garden

Q: My Black Jack fig produced a few full-sized figs early in the season but in the last month the figs are small, turn dark and dry up. What could it be? The tree is about 40 years old and appears healthy. 

A:  Usually, if a tree (or other fruit-bearing plant) produces fruit that is deformed, small, or fails to develop, pollination is the problem. For figs, pollination is a bit tricky because the fruit is essentially an inside-out flower (actually, a whole bunch of flowers).

Figs are pollinated by itty-bitty wasps that are small enough to make their way inside the fruit. Each type of fig is pollinated by a unique species of wasp, so it’s important to provide a variety of wasp-friendly flowers. This ensures that the right species of wasp will show up to do the job.

We have found that our fig tree produces the most fruit on its younger branches. Our tree has a multiple trunk form, so every year we cut the oldest trunk to the ground. This keeps the tree a semi-reasonable size and encourages more new, productive growth. Since your tree is so old, I’m not sure how well this tactic will work for you, but if you see some new growth after its annual pruning, watch the new growth for productivity.

Q: How do I protect my tomatoes and cucumbers from rats, mice, and rabbits?

A: Fencing can exclude rabbits, but it should be tight and partially buried. I like half-inch hardware cloth because it’s almost impossible to gnaw through and otherwise very durable. When installing, partially bury it to prevent highly motivated rabbits from burrowing under it.

Mice and rats are a little trickier. Mice are so small that they can easily squeeze through any small gaps in your fence. Both rats and mice can climb but prefer not to because this makes them visible to predators. Keep tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and other vining crops off the ground by trellising them. This may not be 100% foolproof, but it should cut down on the damage.

Where possible, remove or move any hiding spaces such as wood piles or scrap lumber. Owls can consume a tremendous number of rodents, so you’ll want to make their work easier.

Don’t use bait because it will poison owls and other helpful predators. Sticky traps should never be used outdoors since they are likely to harm non-target wildlife.

Snap traps and electrocution traps are humane, but they require cleaning and resetting.  A quick internet search will show several ways to trap a multitude of rodents using either a large bucket or trash can by luring them in by some ingenious method. The problem is that you must then figure out what to do with a bucket of mice or a trash can full of rats.

I would recommend fencing and trellising.

Looking for more gardening tips? Here’s how to contact the Master Gardener program in your area.

Los Angeles County

mglosangeleshelpline@ucdavis.edu; 626-586-1988; http://celosangeles.ucanr.edu/UC_Master_Gardener_Program/

Orange County

ucceocmghotline@ucanr.edu; 949-809-9760; http://mgorange.ucanr.edu/

Riverside County

anrmgriverside@ucanr.edu; 951-683-6491 ext. 231; https://ucanr.edu/sites/RiversideMG/

San Bernardino County

mgsanbern@ucanr.edu; 909-387-2182; http://mgsb.ucanr.edu/