Garden and greenhouse advice: How to avoid rat problems

Garden and greenhouse enthusiasts should avoid putting kitchen waste onto their compost heap, it has been claimed.

According to BBC Berkshires Colin Evans, doing so can encourage rats to set up home in your green space due to the abundance of scraps to scavenge from.

He explained that a recent caller to his Sunday Gardening Programme had a rat problem caused by the addition of inappropriate materials to his composter.

Mr Evans advised that only garden waste should be placed in the composter and that weeds and wood should not be added, unless the twigs and sticks have been put through a shredder.

The expert suggested that those who fill their compost bin with kitchen waste are asking for trouble.

"I would go as far as to say that gardeners who put kitchen and household waste onto their compost heaps in a busy neighbourhood could be considered to be anti-social as your neighbours will have your rat problem as well," he said.

Meanwhile, eco-friendly firm Greenopolis has suggested that garden and greenhouse fans start up a growers diary to help them plan their work.