Problem animals destroying your garden? Thankfully, there are lots of natural garden pest control options for keeping invasive critters from demolishing your vegetable patch or flower beds. From barrier solutions such as fences, hedgerows, and netting to repellant options like hot pepper spray, there are solutions to fit every problem.
Fences
The simplest and most effective way to keep unwanted creatures from invading your garden is to put up a fence. From cheap chicken wire and landscaping fencing to more expensive options like aluminum and vinyl, solutions are available for most budgets. Relatively easy to self-install, fencing options are a great solution for invasive critter problems. Just make sure to check with your homeowners association as many do not allow fencing.
Plant Barriers
One creative solution that can be especially useful in warding off deer when a fence isn’t an option is planting a natural fence. Live barriers composed of closely planted trees or hedges are a wonderful alternative to man-made fencing. Keep in mind that small critters such as squirrels and rabbits can still enter your garden with a live fence in place, but larger problem animals can often be deterred by a well-maintained hedgerow or tree fence.
Raised Beds
If rabbits are the cause of your gardening distress, building raised planter beds is a simple solution to your problem. Beds built at least 2 feet high of untreated wooden planks, stones, bricks, or concrete blocks will keep rabbits from nibbling at your veggies. Add a layer of wire mesh to the bottom of each box before filling with dirt to keep burrowing animals from entering your raised beds.
Netting
Especially useful against birds is inexpensive netting. Wrapped around trees or draped over garden beds, netting should be secured with straps, spikes, or weights to avoid shifting. Netting provides the added bonus of being an effective way to combat some large garden insects. Choose a mesh size appropriate for the animals that you would like to deter.
Hot Pepper Spray
A natural barrier-free way to keep critters from eating plant foliage is to mist them with a hot pepper repellant spray. To create the spray, mix a quarter cup of hot red pepper sauce with a quart of water. Add a tablespoon of dish soap and mix gently. Pour mixture into a clean spray bottle and apply to the leaves of the plants that you would like to keep un-nibbled. Re-apply after heavy rains.
Predator Urine
Another natural (albeit slightly gross) way to deter garden pests is through the application of predator urine. Spray onto plants directly, or place urine-soaked cotton balls in plastic bottles with holes drilled into them. Hang bottles in the area to be protected. Fox, coyote, and wolf urine are widely available for purchase. Check the hunting section of an outdoor supply store or visit your local big-box building supply warehouse.
Uninviting Plants
You can also keep animals from eating your plants by selecting plants that animals don’t like to eat. Marigold, daffodil, snapdragon, daylily, primrose, and peony are some flowers that deer and rabbits avoid. As far as edible plants go, onion, leek, garlic, asparagus, eggplant, rosemary, thyme, mint, lavender, and parsley are all good pest animal resistant choices. Planting a border of unpalatable marigold or onion around more vulnerable plant varieties has also been used successfully to keep animals away.
These are some natural methods for keeping problem animals from invading and destroying your garden. Try one or a combination depending upon the specific animal that is causing damage to your plants. These methods are safe and effective ways to protect your plants without having to resort to harsher methods.