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There is nothing worse than spending all that time perfecting your flower beds and getting your garden growing only to have it destroyed by an animal that sneaks in under the cover of darkness — or more brazenly during the day — to eat away the fruits — and vegetables — of your labor.
If you find yourself growing more and more frustrated by animals who are destroying your garden, there are some ways you can deter them. Here are six options that you can put into practice right away.
1. Add a protective barrier
One potential deterrent for keeping animals out of your yard or garden is to add fencing. You can add fencing around your garden area or around the entire yard itself. The negative to these fences is that they can often be expensive to install. If you have just one or two plants that are often under attack, you can add a wire cloche to cover the plants.
2. Install a motion sprinkler
If you don’t like the look of a fence and a cloche doesn’t offer enough protection, a motion sprinkler could be the answer. These battery-operated devices work by detecting motion within their sensor range. A burst of water will then come from the sprinkler meant to startle the animal. They are easy to install and can be set to run at night or all day long.
3. Try a method of distraction
You may be able to keep animals out of your garden by distracting them with other sources of food. For example, if birds and other smaller animals such as squirrels are the biggest pests you face in trying to keep your yard safe, hang some bird feeders around your yard.
4. Build raised beds
If your animals are destroying flowers or vegetable gardens, build some raised beds. This simple project helps keep your precious plants from being easy to access to different pesky animals.
5. Apply sprays around your garden
There are several options for making your animal repellent spray to keep animals out of your plants and gardens. For example, there is a castor oil spray you can craft if moles are your biggest problem. If rabbits are your biggest issue, try a jalapeno pepper concoction. And there you can use a combination of beef bullion cubes and eggs to deter deer.
6. Include plants that animals don’t like
For example, did you know that deer don’t like barberry bushes, winterberry holly, summer lilac, and Bluebeard shrubs? Animals also often spit out fuzzy or prickly plants such as cacti, dusty millers, grape hollies, and strawflowers. They are also often deterred from plants with tough or leathery foliage such as daphnes, ferns, peonies, and yuccas.
If you want to protect your garden, decide which option is best for your home. The best method may be a combination of a couple. For example, you may add in some bird feeders and also spray your yard with a natural or do-it-yourself repellent.
