Deter Wildlife From Your Garden
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Posted by Sally Odum Jun 3, 2007 |
Sometimes you have to get creative to deter wildlife from your vegetable garden. One of Suite 101's readers recently wrote to share the story of a squirrel rolling away a canteloupe. I've personally fed wild rabbits fresh vegetables more times than I care to mention. But I love seeing the rabbit, deer and squirrels and would never hurt them. So they must be deterred from entering the vegetable garden. Everyone has wildlife stories about their gardens if they have been gardening very long! People resort to all sorts of crazy strategies to try to keep out wildlife and pests. Here is a list you can try to deter deer and rabbit from your garden.
Deter Rabbit From Your Vegetable Garden
- The number one rabbit deterrent seems to a 3-foot high fence, preferably made out of one-inch chicken wire. Put part of it underground to prevent any burrowing by the rabbit.
- Hawk and owl likenesses placed around in your garden may be enough to scare away the rabbit.
- Wire mesh around the trunk of trees will keep rabbit from eating the bark.
- Garlic - red pepper spray or sprinkled on the ground
- Mothballs
Deter Deer From Your Vegetable Garden
- Plant a fence of thorny shrubs or trees to keep them out. Obviously this is a long term solution since you will have to wait for the fence to mature. Hawthorn and Holly are good.
- A regular tall fence or parallel fences. They may jump your fence if it is 6' or less. If you have a low fence, try putting a second fence just after the first one. The deer jump over and get confused.
- Aluminum foil, pie tins or hanging aluminum cans are a good deterrent for many wildlife, including deer. These bright, shiny, noisy objects will blow in the wind, reflect in the sunshine and moonlight, and act as a deterrent.
- Place bars of highly fragrant soap where you want to deter animals. They don't like the smell.
- Dogs
- Windchimes
- Predator Urine
- Mothballs
More pest, insect and wildlife control and deterrent measures
Organic Gardening / Herb Gardening with Companion Plants