Spring is here and if you plan on growing your own garden this year you should take preventative measures against animals eating your plants. Animals like deer, rabbits, and birds will prey on your garden plants if left unprotected. Read on to find out the best methods for deterring any pests that may trespass on your garden.
Animals to Watch Out for
These animals are the most likely to disturb your garden:
- Deer
- Rabbits
- Birds
- Groundhogs/gophers/moles
- Raccoons
- Squirrels/chipmunks
- Voles
Plants That Can Deter Animals
There are some plants that have a repulsive odor to animals—and some of them can add some color to your garden! Flowers like daffodils and marigolds keep most rodents and deer away. Herbs like lavender, rosemary, chives, and garlic can deter rabbits and deer.
Fence Around the Garden
Putting a fence around your garden can help deter most animals but it will not work against birds. Make sure the fence goes a foot underground to help prevent animals from burrowing underneath it. Also make sure it is 4 feet away to dissuade any deer from jumping over it. Deer want to eat the easiest food, so they probably won’t want to jump over the fence just for a snack.
A wire cloche around smaller plants like lettuce and strawberry bushes can help dissuade most above-ground trespassers. Deer and bigger predators can easily push the cloche out of the way.
Raised Garden Beds
A raised garden bed can deter burrowers from eating your plants from below. It can also prevent smaller animals like rabbits and racoons from snacking in your garden. Raised garden beds also help lessen how many weeds will grow in your garden!
There are some animal repellent sprays that you can make yourself or buy at your local gardening center. You can make your own homemade repellent with hot pepper solution mixed with water or castor oil and garlic! You can also buy predator urine at the store which will dissuade animals from chomping on your plants. The predator urine will make animals think that it’s a predator’s territory, so they will stay far away. However, you have to frequently spray these repellents around your garden every few days or every time after it rains. The cost for these sprays can add up quickly.
Nite Guard Products
Nite guard products are products that you can buy once and will work for a long time. Nite Guard products are an economical, eco-friendly solution for deterring animals from your garden.
Nite Guard Repellent Tape is a heavy-duty metallic reflective tape that keeps birds and other animals away during the day. The light from the sun that flashes off the tape keeps birds away. When it blows in the wind it also makes a crinkly noise, and the noise will deter animals from getting too close.
Nite Guard Solar Lights are solar-powered lights that imitate the eyes of a predator. Animals are more likely to attack your garden around dawn and dusk, and they can ravage your whole garden before you know it. These lights charge in the sun during the day and at night emit a red glow that makes animals believe there are predators around. The animals will stay away due to the perceived danger. It is recommended to have one of these solar lights on each side of your garden. You will need to occasionally move these in different spots around your garden so animals don’t catch on to your tricks. Deer are smarter than we think, and they will realize that the predator lights are not real predators if they’re left in the same spot for too long.
If you have any questions or want to know more about Nite Guard’s products, feel free to contact us to have a nice chat!