I truly don’t mind snakes. They’re gentle, shy, and prefer to keep to themselves. However, it’s not always all that pleasant when you’re gardening or hanging out on your back deck and a snake slithers right by your feet. If you’re not a huge snake fan, not to worry. There are multiple ways to keep snakes away from your yard without using harsh chemicals or cruel methods. Here they are!

1. Cut Off Their Food Supply

Snakes are attracted to a number of things. They eat mice and rats, but they also eat discarded birdseed and fruit. If you have a compost bin, ensure it’s completely sealed. If you have bird feeders in your yard, try to keep them at the perimeter of your yard and as far away from your home as possible.

2. Plant Lemongrass

A super simple way to deter snakes is by planting lemongrass in your garden. Snakes hate the citrusy smell and thankfully, so do mosquitoes!

3. Citrus Solution

Speaking of citrus, you can add some lemon or orange rinds and pieces to a jar of water. Let the fruit sit in the water for 24 hours. Spray the solution onto patio furniture and around your deck/porch stairs to deter snakes from coming too close.

4. Maintain Your Yard

If you have lots of weeds and piles of sticks or other debris lying around the yard, these make for the perfect hiding spots. If you keep your yard tidy and maintained, snakes will be less likely to make it their home.

5. Seal Off Your Home

You don’t want snakes in your yard, and you certainly don’t want them in your home. Ensure any cracks in your foundation and around doors and windows are sealed off. You should also be sure there are no holes in any window screens, etc.

6. DIY Snake Repellent

Chemical-filled snake repellents can be damaging to your pets, family members, and plants. You can make a DIY, all-natural snake repellent using equal parts cinnamon oil and clove oil. Spray the solution along your home’s perimeter, deck, and anywhere else you think snakes might be hiding.

7. Mothballs

Mothballs not only deter insects, but they also deter snakes. You can place mothballs around your home’s foundation and back porch to deter them. However, mothballs can be extremely poisonous to children and pets, so you shouldn’t have mothballs anywhere within their reach.

8. Relocate Them

If you’ve tried everything else, you can also buy humane snake traps and place them around your yard. When you trap a snake, simply release them in a wooded area away from your home!