Plants that keep snakes away

There are lots of reasons why humans don’t like snakes. One of them is the fact that they can inflict bites on their victims. If the snake is venomous, one could even die. There are some plants that are thought to be snake repellents, and most people would advise that they be used. While most people will appreciate a visit from small animals in their gardens, snakes are usually unwelcome. There are some plants that aren’t ideal for the snake’s habitat and they help to keep snakes away in most cases. These include:

Mother in laws tongue:
the reason why the plant comes by this name is its sharp leaves, and it is believed that the snakes do not really like the appearance. The seedlings of this plant can be rather expensive, but there is a belief that it actually works.

The tobacco plant and the pink agapanthus:
it is believed that snakes despise the smell of these plants. The Zulus have been known to use these plants to deter snakes.

Other plants that you could plant around the home include garlic, sarpgandha, West Indian lemon grass, wormwood and marigold.

Having a sealed fence can also go a long way to deterring snakes from your yard and garden. Even though plants may not really work at repelling the snakes, modifying the habitat and making informed landscaping decisions can actually help.

When landscaping, be sure to eliminate all the bushy plants that could allow snakes to hide quite effectively. You need to eliminate other areas where the snakes can hide, including water features, logs and even rocks. Snakes can also choose to use the rodent burrows within the yard, and so you should handle all rodent issues and seal off the burrows with soil.

If you choose to use fencing, you need to be aware of the fact that erecting a snake proof fence can be a very expensive affair. The fence shouldn’t have any debris around it, and the gate should fit tightly. The fence has to be checked for any kind of damage from time to time.

Natural repellents are a disappointment most of the time and none has been proven to actually work long term. There are many more reliable ways to deal with a snake problem.

Go back to the How to Get Rid of Snakes page or email us if you have any other questions about Plants that keep snakes away