You’ve worked and worked under the hot summer sun to have a garden worthy of your friends’ oohs and aahs. There’s just one problem: pests.
Whether you have deer, rabbits, slugs, mice, birds, or another garden bully, these animals can wreak havoc on your meticulously planted masterpiece.
But before you rage an all out war on nature, check out our easy tips for keeping your garden pest free. These could save you a headache, and a battle with wildlife conservationists!
Know your enemy
The first step in any defense plan is knowing who, or what, you’re up against. Take some time to do research about the pests in your garden. Are you dealing with deer, who graze on everything? Or maybe you have rabbits eating your beans. Perhaps slugs are chomping the leaves of your beautiful plants. The point is, different pests call for different strategies. Unfortunately, there isn’t a set, cure-all plan in keeping your garden pest free. But once you figure out the main source of the problem, there are several defenses to keep critters away.
Use repellents
Repellents are a highly suggested way to keep your garden free from pests. Once you’ve figured out which animal is your priority, choose a specific repellent to address the problem. Garden-pros advise against using harsh chemicals and poisons, especially for gardeners with children and pets. However, there are several, less severe options for a pest free garden (besides ordinary insect repellent). Fox urine may sound gross, but it’s quite effective in keeping rabbits away and can be purchased from your local gardening or hardware store. Try using visual repellents for birds (such as a fake owl or foil strips that wave in the wind), who are known for their flighty nature. The flashing of the foil in the sunlight and the movement will scare off your winged foes. If you need a more blanket approach to this issue, pepper-based sprays are also a popular method for deterring several types of pests, such as rabbits, squirrels, deer, and even insects or pets. Remember, repellents are not permanent. If you choose to go this route, you will have to reapply them frequently to keep pests away for good.
Make your garden ugly
Ugly to pests, that is! Your garden should be beautiful for visitors, but that doesn’t mean it needs to look great for garden foes. Thankfully, the two have different definitions of a “good” garden. Make your plant paradise unattractive to critters by eliminating food supplies such as excess birdseed and compost areas. Also, clear out brush and other hiding places. Make sure there aren’t any potential nesting areas for long-term residents. Maintaining a well-groomed garden can be an additional assurance that pests are not hiding somewhere in your shrubs.
Make the area difficult to reach
If the thought of surrounding your masterpiece with a fence doesn’t make you cringe, then this can be one of the sure-fire ways to keep pests out. Once again, it is important to know what kind of critter you are dealing with before you take steps to block off your plants. Deer can jump pretty high, so fencing will have to accommodate for this trait. If putting up a fence does sound horrible, there are other barriers you can put in place instead. For rabbits, consider elevating your plant beds; these critters can burrow under fences anyways! Netting can provide a more universal defense, deterring rabbits, deer, and even birds. Some garden experts also suggest placing thorny plants around enticing areas to keep pests and pets away.
If you have pests in your garden, don’t fret. Take a deep breath, put the BB gun down, and try out one of these tips first. Soon, your masterpiece will be pest free, and you’ll be telling friends about how you won the Battle of the Shrubs as they fawn over your gardenias. Carry on soldier, and good luck!
Do you have more suggestions for keeping pests out of the garden? Share them in the comments, and help a fellow gardener out!
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