A gardener’s worst nightmare is spotting animals who make a mess and chew their plants throughout the garden. If you have previously browsed through the web to find solutions for keeping animals out of the garden, you may have noticed that most solutions harm the animals.
While I did not enjoy having rabbits and squirrels around my garden, I was not comfortable harming them too. After trying out many solutions, I have compiled a list of ten harmless ways to keep animals out of your vegetable garden.
Before you try the methods mentioned below, you must identify the types of animals roaming around your garden. Generally, you may find rabbits, deer, squirrels, cats, dogs, and groundhogs. Once you have determined the animal in your garden, conducting sufficient research about its habits, routine, and food preferences is best. In this article, I will answer the question, “How do I keep animals out of my garden without hurting them?”.
Table of Contents
10 Smart Ways Of Keeping Animals Out Of The Garden Without Harming Them
The solutions I have mentioned below will help you get rid of the animals who are invading your garden without harming them.
1. Fencing
One of the most effective ways to keep animals out of your vegetable garden is by building a fence around the garden. To make sure that the barrier prevents animals from entering, you must ensure it is the right size. The dimensions of your fence depend on the animals you have spotted in your garden.
If you have noticed rabbits, squirrels, groundhogs, and other small animals in your garden, a short fence would work in keeping animals out of the garden. Generally, a two to four-foot-tall fence would prevent small animals from entering. If you are dealing with burrowing animals, I recommend building a fence at least ten feet deep. Build a fence between four and eight feet tall to prevent larger animals like deer, from entering your garden. I strongly advise against building a fence with sharp points to ensure no harm to the animals.
Also Read: How To Stop Cats Pooping In Your Garden
2. Wire Cloche
If you have noticed that the animals invading your garden target a particular plant, I recommend using a wire cloche. A wire cloche is a protective cover made from mesh that you can simply place over vulnerable plants. Generally, this method effectively targets small animals like rabbits and squirrels and is effective in keeping animals out of the garden.
Using a wire cloche is simple. All you need to do is place these plant protectors over the plants. You can also use chicken wire to create a protective cover by wrapping it around the targeted plants. When creating a wire cloche, you should ensure it is large enough and does not stop the plant’s growth.
Here is the detailed guide with 6 Best Cloches reviewed and different types of cloches explained/
3. Ultrasonic Pest Repellents
If you are tired of trying different ways and searching ” how do I keep animals out of my garden”, Ultrasonic Pest Repellents are another incredible way to keep animals out of your vegetable garden. While this method keeps small animals away, I recommend using it if you spot raccoons, deer, foxes, dogs, cats, and skunks in your garden.
An Ultrasonic Repellent is motion-activated. Once it picks up an animal’s movement, strobe lights are activated, and the repellent emits a high-frequency sound. The strobing lights and the sound scares animals away. To use an Ultrasonic Pest Repellent, simply insert it into the ground and let it work its magic.
Before you invest in these repellents, determine the exact dimensions of your yard. Generally, ultrasonic repellents cover up to 1200 square feet. Therefore, depending on your garden’s dimensions, you may have to purchase several repellents to ensure they are effective and specific in keeping animals out of the garden.
Also Read: How to Get Rid Of Snails in Your Garden ┃8 Effective Ways
4. Castor Oil Solution
If you want to make a repellent that deters animals away using ingredients at home, you can make a castor oil solution as most burrowing animals like moles, skunks, and squirrels can not stand the taste of castor oil.
You can prepare a castor oil solution within a few seconds. The ingredients used to prepare this solution are castor oil, dishwashing solution, and water. You will also need a spray bottle.
Put a gallon of water, a tablespoon of dishwashing solution, and three tablespoons of castor oil. Next, shake the container until it’s thoroughly mixed. Now, all you need to do is spray the solution in areas where you frequently spot animals. I recommend spraying the solution at least once a week to ensure good results!
Also Read: Copper Fungicide Vs. Neem Oil – Which Is The Better Option?
5. Soap
If you are exhausted from asking people “how to keep animals away from the garden”, I have the perfect solution for you. Soap bars are an incredible tool to keep rodents, squirrels, and chipmunks away from your garden.
To use a soap bar as a repellent, you need a wooden stick, a rope, and a soap bar. Once you have gathered the materials, find an empty soil area in your garden. Push the wooden bar and ensure that it is secure! If you have a mesh bag lying around your house, place the soap bar in the bag and close it. Finally, wrap the rope around the bag and tie it to the wooden stick. Most of the animals found in your garden dislike the smell of soap and try to maintain their distance from it.
Also Read: How To Keep Field Mice Out Of Your Lawn
6. Cayenne Pepper
I understand how tough it can be to figure out how to keep animals away from the garden. If you are unsure which animal is wandering around your garden, using Cayenne Pepper to keep it away is definitely worth a try. Most animals, including squirrels, detest the spicy taste of this pepper. Using this pepper as a repellent is fairly simple. Place the pepper around the plants you wish to protect. Once the animals experience the spice, they will certainly consider relocating.
7. A Source of Food
Are you wondering how a source of food repels animals? If you have discovered that the sole reason animals visit your garden is to munch on your beloved plants, try placing an alternate food source they would much rather prefer.
If smaller animals frequently visit your garden, try placing a bird feeder close to your garden. You might notice that birds, squirrels, and chipmunks may decide to munch on the bird seeds instead of your plants!
Also Read: 8 Effective Tips to Stop Rats from Eating Your Garden
8. Noise
You may have noticed that most animals hide when they hear you approach. When all the tricks fail, try finding ways to add some noise to your yard. By doing so, you may succeed in tricking the animal into thinking that a human predator is approaching and can be successful in keeping animals out of the garden. You could play a radio or install wind chimes near the plants you wish to protect.
9. Baffles
If you have bird feeders around your garden and frequently spot squirrels trying to access them, you can try placing baffles around the feeders to prevent squirrels from reaching them. Baffles are physical barriers that prevent an animal from accessing a specific area. These baffles are available in numerous sizes and shapes. However, all baffles allow humans to stand on the ground peacefully by keeping small animals away.
Also Read: 7 Natural Remedies To Remove Stink Bugs From Citrus Trees
10. Milk
I recommend using homemade repellent sprays if you are trying to keep animals away from your garden without harming them. Fortunately, you can create a homemade repellent spray by mixing milk, water, and dish detergent!
To make this solution, pour one part of milk, four drops of dish soap, and three parts of water into a spray bottle. Shake the bottle until everything is mixed well. I recommend spraying the solution on your plants every few days. You can use any type of milk to make this solution. However, I recommend using sour milk or buttermilk.
Here is the complete recipe for Milk Spray Recipe, you might wanna read it.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are numerous ways to protect your garden from wildlife without causing any harm to the animals. From installing fences and ultrasonic pest repellents to creating homemade repellent sprays and providing alternate food sources, there are various strategies that you can implement based on the type of animal frequenting your garden. It is crucial to note that the effectiveness of these measures will depend on the habits and preferences of the specific animals you’re dealing with, so it’s important to observe and understand them.
FAQs
How Do You Stop Animals From Eating?
To stop animals from munching on your beloved plants, you can use various methods like creating a fence, placing an alternate food source, using soap or cayenne pepper as a repellent, and much more.
What Is The Best Natural Animal Repellent?
While I believe that the best animal repellent for you would vary depending on your garden conditions and the animals you find, however, you can make a natural animal repellant at home using castor oil, milk, soap, etc.
Does Vinegar Keep Animals Away?
Yes! Vinegar can be used as a repellent for a few animals. Vinegar has a strong, pungent smell that helps repel rabbits and squirrels.
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