If you are a big nature-lover, then it’s likely that you have a garden in your home that you love for the outdoorsy feel that it brings to your yard. However, gardens, tress and shrubs also attract animals; especially in neighbourhoods where there isn’t much other greenery to support them. As much as we all love the little critters that pop into our gardens daily, it’s no secret that they can certainly damage our much-loved plants.
As a nature-lover, this is where the conundrum comes in: you want the animals in your garden but you don’t want to lose your precious plants. There is absolutely no way that you are going to risk hurting or killing your little visitors; so what is there that you can do?
Turns out that there are actually a number of different things that you can do to your garden that will protect them from animals, without any harm coming to the animals themselves.
Identify What You’re Dealing With
First things first, you have to know what kind of animal you are dealing with. All animals have different appetites and ways that they get to the juicy plants so they almost always require a different method of protection.
A mole, for example, is going to have very different measures to that of a deer when it comes to protecting your garden. Creating an effective solution for your garden hinges on positive identification.
Make Your Garden Less Attractive For Animals
This doesn’t mean that you have to make your garden any less aesthetically pleasing, but it’s rather just about choosing the kinds of plants that are less likely to attract animals. Talk to your neighbours and a local nursery to see which plants are thriving, and try to choose plants that will be less tasty, such as fuzzy, prickly or very aromatic plants.
New shoots and nursery bought plants are like a beacon of deliciousness for animals, as they are bursting with nutrients. If you have new shoots or plants that you recently bought from the nursery, try and make sure they stay out of reach until they are big enough for your garden. If you live in a less urban area, and you have quite a bit of space, then you should let the edges of your property grow out. A bit of wild fauna at the edge of your garden will give animals the opportunity to graze and nest there instead of in your plants.
Fencing
Fencing is undoubtedly the safest and most effective way to protect your garden from animals. If you have a new garden try and put up a fence before the animals realise that they have a taste for your plants. If it’s too late for that then using chicken wire, hardware cloth or rabbit fencing is the most cost-effective option. If you have a mole or rabbit problem, then ensure the fence is 10 inches into the soil, as well as a few feet tall.
Deer call for higher fencing and anything from 4 feet to 8 feet may be required. Protect your fruit and berries with bird netting when they are coming into ripening season. These are just some of the ways that you can protect your garden from animals including rabbits, deer, rats, mice, foxes and bugs.