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Tell us what you are seeing
Four questions, answered by a person within one business day. If it is urgent, call: the line is answered at any hour.
Part of Landscape Pest Risk Mitigation, across New York City and Long Island.
What makes Queens different?
Queens has the most yard space in the city. Detached and semi-detached houses come with front lawns, side yards, rear patios, gardens, sheds and fruit trees. That is a wonderful thing to have in New York City, and it is also what rats look for: soil to burrow in, plants for cover and food nearby.
What we look at
- Foundation beds. Planting set back from the house, with a gravel or paved strip along the foundation and shallow mulch near the wall.
- Shrubs. Spaced and lifted so there is open ground beneath them; Los Angeles County public health guidance recommends at least 12 inches of clearance.
- Patios and walkways. A compacted base and rodent-resistant edges so rats cannot tunnel underneath.
- Sheds and garages. Set on slabs or closed at the base; doors that close tight.
- Gardens and fruit trees. Placed away from the house, with raised beds lined with hardware cloth and a plan for fallen fruit.
- Fences. No double fencing along property lines.
- Refuse and compost. Lidded bins on a hard surface away from beds and doors; compost in closed, rodent-resistant units.
Working with Graduate
Our general approach to yards is under landscape pest risk mitigation. For the house, see pre-construction pest risk mitigation in Queens.
Common questions
Why focus on Queens yards?
Queens has more private yard space than Manhattan, Brooklyn or the Bronx, around detached, semi-detached and attached houses. That means more beds, patios, sheds and gardens, and more places where rats can settle beside a foundation if the yard is not planned with them in mind.
Do fruit trees and vegetable gardens attract rats?
They can. Fallen fruit, ripening vegetables and garden waste are food. Gardens and fruit trees work well when placed away from the house and paired with a plan for harvesting and cleanup.
What is the best edging along the foundation?
A strip of gravel or paving along the base of the house, with planting beds starting back from the wall. It keeps the foundation dry and visible and takes away the sheltered soil rats burrow in.
Should we worry about the space under a patio?
Yes. Pavers or slabs over loose fill invite burrowing at the edges. A well-compacted base and a rodent-resistant barrier along the perimeter, such as mesh or a geotextile like Xcluder GEO, keep rats out from underneath.
Does mulch matter?
Deep mulch against the foundation holds moisture and shelters insects. University of Florida extension guidance recommends no more than two inches within 12 inches of the foundation.
How do we get started?
Send the landscape plan or photos. We review it, visit before planting and hardscape, and give you a short list of changes.
Landscape Pest Risk Mitigation in Queens
Start with a free consultation
A consultation is a phone call with us about your problem. You tell us what you are seeing, where in the building, and how long it has been going on, and we tell you what it most likely is and what it will take to fix. There is no charge for the call.
Work like this starts with a paid on-site inspection. We go through the building, find how the problem is getting in and why it is staying, and give you a written plan and scope of work. The inspection fee is quoted before the visit and is credited toward the job if you go ahead.
Call (631) 212-9601Schedule an inspection
Answered at any hour.