What gardener hasn’t this ever happened to? Your vegetables, flowers and fruits are growing wonderfully and look very healthy. And suddenly the invasion begins. Voles, marmots, squirrels, deer, rabbits, moles or any other mammal, or even insects wreak havoc in your garden. And even if you are an animal lover, you probably do not want them to swarm freely next to your vegetables.
Shooting them with a shotgun is not an option as it is not allowed. And the poison can end up killing pets. Traps are an option that can work with some vermin, but they can be dangerous for dogs and cats.
So… what options do you have left? Normally, the most viable solution is to learn to live with these animals while still protecting your plants. Here are 30 ideas to help you deal with these furry vermin and insects.
1. Build a fence
With a high fence you will be able to leave out of your perimeter a lot of types of vermin. Make sure the fence is deep enough to keep digging species away.
2. Keep your garden well maintained
Get rid of possible hiding places or areas where they can nest such as piles of twigs or a tall lawn. A garden in perfect order has many benefits and will also attract fewer bugs.
3. Eliminate any temptation
Clean well under bird feeders, keep the lids of garbage containers closed and pick up any pieces of fruit or nuts that have fallen from trees. If not, raccoons and squirrels will continue to visit your garden for a delicious snack.
4. Adopt a pet
Dogs usually scare away and even hunt certain vermin, while cats are responsible for hunting and killing voles and squirrels. If you have a dog wandering around your garden, you can probably say goodbye to your problems with deer.
5. Keep birds away with nets
Protect your plants with bird nets. Just when it’s your turn to pick the ripe blueberries, the birds appear and steal them from you before you can taste them.
6. Change your watering habits
Water the garden in the morning so that the soil is dry when it gets dark, since it is the time when vermin that seek moisture usually come out. Have a good time watering so that your garden receives enough water. Plus, it will help you get some fresh morning air.
7. Scare them away by smell
If you are not sure which vermin is making your life impossible, try using chili peppers and castor seed to scare them away. There are plenty of homemade recipes to keep vermin away.
8. Bury aluminum foil
Aluminum foil is not only practical in the kitchen. It will also be very useful in the garden. Bury a few strips of aluminum foil in the soil to keep the birds away from your plants. And to repel small insects, such as slugs, mix aluminum foil with compost.
9. Use metal mesh
Metal mesh has always been a very popular material in the garden and for compelling reasons. Place a cage made of metal mesh over the plants that you think may be most attractive to vermin. Metal mesh is a most effective and cheap solution.
10. Bet on aromatic plants
Think about what plants you are going to plant in the garden. Most insects dislike aromatic plants such as basil, sap, mint, dill or thyme. And rabbits hate onions and garlic. Daffodils are poisonous to squirrels, while deer dislike their smell. So, with the same flower you will keep both away.
11. Help yourself with an electronic anti-rodent device
There are also electronic options for vermin control. Dig a hole in the ground and bury the battery-operated device. Ultrasonic vibrations will scare away vermin digging holes.
12. Use growing plastics
With growing plastics, you can cover and protect your plants from insects without lacking light or oxygen. Plastics are lightweight and adapt to plants as they grow so as not to crush them.
13. Put up a fence
When deer and other creatures become a recurring problem, putting a fence throughout the entire garden may be the best solution. And remember to use a container with a lid for your fertilizer so as not to attract any animal.
14. Try devices to scare vermin like reflective tape or fake predators
There are many options that work with the movement of the wind: Mylar ribbons, cake molds, painted balloons or strobes, to name a few. But, beware, because the deer will soon lose their fear of these methods, so change them frequently.
15. Spread some mothballs as an olfactory deterrent
Many gardening experts believe that scattering these balls around the garden and flower beds works as a repellent for dogs, cats, and rodents. But be careful because mothballs are toxic to children and pets.
16. Build an electric fence
It is true that they are very expensive, but they work very well when it comes to keeping your garden free of marmots, rabbits and deer. In fact, it’s one of the few methods that actually works to ward off raccoons.
17. Use squirrel repellents
Repellents work very well when it comes to keeping squirrels and raccoons away from your bird feeder. And you can also use them to protect your hanging pots. You can buy them at any hardware store, or if you’re a handyman, you can try to do it yourself.