Protecting vegetable gardens can be an ongoing struggle. To effectively do so, use barriers like fences to ward off animals as soon as they enter.
Opt for plants that wildlife finds distasteful, such as rosemary, dill and chili peppers – deer are known to dislike these scents! Use scented repellents such as predator urine around your garden in order to keep deer away.
Plants with Natural Defenses
Growing vegetables is an enjoyable hobby, but it can become challenging if rabbits, deer and squirrels decide to devour your efforts. Finding an equilibrium between your garden’s needs and those of wildlife is important; some methods for deterring predators include companion planting, organic repellents or fences.
Start by watching how garden pests behave to gain insight into their habits, which will allow you to quickly determine which plants are at most risk from them. Paw prints or holes left by rabbits might indicate which are at risk, while tracks and droppings of deer provide further clues as to where they’re heading.
Be alert for signs of rodents as they can wreak havoc on vegetable crops by chewing roots and stems and stealing fruit. Check soil for holes and tracks, sift through mulch for their nests – these creatures should never be underestimated!
Plants with strong scents may help deter animals from damaging your vegetables. Marigolds in particular emit an aroma that repels nematodes and aphids as well as tomato hornworms and cucumber beetles, providing natural protection. Nasturtiums and yarrow can also provide this protection.
Animals can also be deterred by certain objects and sudden appearance of strangers. Hang wind chimes or aluminum cans near plants to create noise that will deter pests; ultrasonic repellers also produce high-pitched sounds to startle and confuse animals away from approaching your veggies too closely.
Fences
Fencing can be an effective means of keeping animals out of a garden. It works especially well against ground-dwellers such as deer, rabbits and groundhogs and is relatively affordable to install. Unfortunately, however, fencing will not protect against flying pests like birds or squirrels, who will often climb over its height to gain entry. Smaller animals may still try their luck but coverings such as chicken wire can prevent access.
Determine the ideal fencing solution for you is key when selecting a fencing system, as you should identify which species is the main cause of damage to your garden. Look out for telltale signs like tracks or chewed leaves as a telltale of invaders in your garden and use local tracking guides to identify those responsible and decide on an effective defense mechanism or other tactics to deter them.
Living fences can be an attractive solution to protecting a vegetable garden from animals, providing both security and an aesthetic element to any landscape. They may include bushes, hedges or vines which can be planted to become focal points or cut back to create an effective barrier around the garden.
Cages or cloches are another popular means of protecting plants from animals in gardening settings, often being used to keep squirrels, chipmunks and mice at bay from nibbling through your produce before you can enjoy it! Cage or cloche options may be particularly effective at protecting ripening fruit from being nibbled up before its time to enjoy its full taste!
Crop rotation is another effective strategy to protect a vegetable garden from animal destruction. This process entails planting something different in each area each year, which benefits plants by decreasing soil malnutrition and disease, controlling weeds more effectively, and making the garden easier to care for. Timber cold frames can also provide effective protection from frost or other weather elements that might otherwise damage them – providing plants with protection from frost damage as well as making freeing up space easier to manage.
Plant Coverings
Many of the same plant covers used for frost protection, insect netting and barrier fabric also work effectively in vegetable gardens. Furthermore, they can be re-used year after year at significantly less expense than purchasing bottles of organic pesticide or animal repellent products. With some basic online research using terms like “garden cloche,” “row cover” and “fleece cover,” you should find multiple solutions that can safeguard your vegetables against animals without harming or suffocating them.
Fruit cage netting can help protect plants with low heights such as carrots, cucumbers and lettuce from pests while still allowing air and moisture to pass through freely. A wire garden fence, on the other hand, can protect crops like tomatoes peppers and eggplant from birds.
Deter raccoons or squirrels from chewing up young transplants with simple barriers such as chicken wire or raccoon baffles. A metal cloche may also provide useful protection from unexpected heat and sun.
These cloches can be purchased at some home and garden centers, or you may opt to make one yourself. A shallow plastic container filled with beer works great as an effective slug and snail trap. Or purchase an effective copper barrier which is nontoxic to pets or children to use around your vegetable plants as an additional measure.
Although fencing and physical barriers can be effective barriers in a vegetable garden, they don’t always work when dealing with small and delicate vegetables. Deer that are capable of jumping four feet can quickly breach a three-foot fence while burrowing animals such as gophers can tunnel underneath it; however, using chicken wire as part of your fence might prevent these animals from accessing your harvest.
Plant covers offer an effective long-term solution to animal damage. There are various kinds of covers, from floating row covers and low tunnel covers, that you simply lay over your plants as they grow. They prevent pests from laying eggs or munching away at veggies while still allowing bees and wind pollination – and they come in various weight classes from lightest to heavyweight – at an inexpensive price point.
Trapping
As part of an overall strategy to protect garden vegetables from wild animals, using repellents, scare devices and visual and physical deterrents beyond fences may help. You can purchase or make these at home. They work well when used together with fencing, row covers and netting. Also ensure your pets are up-to-date on vaccines as some wild animals carry diseases that could harm both them and the plants they inhabit.
Start by identifying which plants are vulnerable, then consider ways to address the damage. A rabbit-proof fence might be necessary if you’re growing delicate lettuces and kale; spraying predator urine around the perimeter of your vegetable garden may deter deer; letting dogs roam your yard may also keep deer away.
Consider burying an L-shaped piece of wire mesh several inches deep into the ground to frustrate underground animals such as slugs and snails, while for aboveground creatures a single-strand electric fence will do. If this option is not feasible then make a simple beer trap using upcycled yogurt cups or similar containers by filling with beer leaving about an inch between its rim and top to trap any that enter and cause them to drown in your trap!
Other animal deterrents include Mylar balloons and tape, motion-activated sprinklers, noise makers and faux predators. Over time however, their effectiveness may decrease so it is advisable to switch up tactics periodically.
Crop rotation is a long-term solution that will save money on fertilizer and soil amendment costs, while simultaneously improving crop health. Planting new varieties every year in each bed will decrease disease, foster fertility and keep pests at bay.
Chemical repellents and baits may also help, though this option should be used with caution in organic growing environments as these often contain ingredients which are toxic to both people and pets, plus must be applied frequently and monitored closely in order to be effective.