Gardeners constantly face adversity, whether it be in the form of diseases, insects or pests. There are all sorts of suggested and tested remedies to deal with each of these situations, but for some people, the far greater problem they face is dealing with the wildlife that threatens to destroy the garden, but not before consuming everything that a gardener has worked so hard to grow.
When trying to deal with wildlife, it's important to look for non-toxic methods to keep them at bay. No one wants to have to deal with chemicals on or near their vegetables, especially when organic growing the goal.
What, then, are some of the ways by which we can deal with wildlife without hurting the animals or the vegetables?
FENCING
Some people use chicken wire because that will keep many animals away. The trouble with chicken wire is that it cannot keep an animal away if the animal can dig deep enough to get into the garden by crawling under the fence. Opossums, rabbits, squirrels, cats and other smaller animals have no trouble crawling under fences.
There is a liquid fence that can be sprayed around the garden area to keep the wildlife at bay, but it is a chemical product, and the potential for it to affect the vegetable area, the plants, or ripening crops is something to consider.
FOX OR COYOTE URINE
Although it isn't cheap to purchase, one can find fox or coyote urine at specialty garden centers. There are two ways to use it: one method involves using liquid urine and pouring it into special containers. The containers can be hung from lower branches of bushes. The theory behind this is that the animals that would venture into the garden can smell the urine of a predator and that tends to keep them away.
Fox and coyote urine can also be purchased in powdered form. To use it in powdered form, sprinkle it around the area where the animals come into the garden. Although this is very effective, it's very expensive, and one must reapply it every time it rains, or whenever the garden is watered.
PLASTIC OWLS
Owls are predators and eat smaller animals like rabbits. Many gardening centers or stores that sell an abundance of gardening tools, decorations and other things will have realistic looking owls. They are typically made out of heavy duty plastic. They have glass eyes and are hollow inside. When filled with rocks or sand, they become sufficiently heavy to stay in place.
Put them in the garden in areas where the wildlife causes the most destruction. Every few days, move the positioning of the owl so that the animals see that the owl doesn't stay in the same place all the time. This method is useful because it scares the wildlife away.
ORGANIC HOME MADE SPRAY
An organic home made spray can be very effective. It is made from the seeds of very hot peppers, cloves of garlic and garlic juice, a small amount of mild liquid soap, and water. Some people use a couple of drops of vegetable oil to bind the mixture together. That is optional.
Allow the mixture to sit for several weeks. This will allow the pepper seeds and the garlic flavor to penetrate the liquid and make the substance stronger. Spray this around the area where the animals come into the garden. You can also spray it around the perimeter of plants that are especially attractive to the animals.
PLANTS TO REPEL WILDLIFE
Deer -
Things that smell good to humans often smell really repulsive to animals, especially deer. The best way to repel deer is to plant things that they will hate so much that they will naturally stay away. Creeping thyme, catnip and Sweet Woodruff are all things that can be planted around the perimeter of the vegetable garden to repel the deer.
Rabbits -
It is said that nasturtiums are useful in repelling animals from gardens. Since they are also useful at repelling predatory pests from the garden, planting nasturtiums around the area where the most attractive vegetables are will help to keep the animals at bay. Rabbits dislike the smell of nasturtiums, but they have the added benefit of repelling the most destructive garden pests, and protecting your vegetables.
Cats, dogs, rabbits and others -
Garlic can also repel animals who might otherwise consume crops and destroy a vegetable garden. Planting garlic around the perimeter of the garden can be helpful in preventing the animals from coming into the garden at all. If garlic is to be used to keep the animals at bay, it will be necessary to harvest it in increments rather than all at once.
Wildlife can be an incredibly destructive force in our vegetable gardens. In the past, the only remedies that gardeners had were fencing or chemical means. In an attempt to keep our vegetable gardens organic, and to do things that are more environmentally friendly, people look for simpler and less harmful methods to keep the animals at bay. Learning to outsmart the wildlife by planting things that will keep them away is a safe way to avert the potential destruction before it happens.
When the methods we use can keep the animals away without causing harm to the animals, to our gardens, or to the environment, we are acting as good stewards of the earth. In the process, we will be protecting the soil from chemical damage so that we can have healthy and bountiful gardens for many years into the future.