Effective Ways to Keep Pests Out of Your Garden

While it may be first instinct, getting your BB gun to shoot pests away from your garden is not the best approach. According to Kathy LaLiberte, a writer for gardeners.com, these are some of the most effective ways to keep pests out of your garden this summer:

1. Identify the Creature*
Once you identify the creature, try to learn a little about the creature and the habitat of the animal. Kathy writes that "this knowledge is essential for putting together an effective solution." Please reference the chart below. 

2. Try to make your garden less appealing by:

• Eliminating hiding or nesting areas. Animals are attracted to brush piles and tall grass. 
• Seal off access to crawl spaces beneath your porch or deck 
• Minimize food sources. For example, raccoons are less likely to avoid your compost pile if you keep it covered. Furthermore, cleaning up excess birdseed will keep squirrels away. 

3. Use one of the following control methods:

A. Repellents:

According to Kathy, "visual and auditory scare devices can be used to repel animals. These include ultrasonic repellers, motion-activated water sprayers, noise makers, and visual scare devices such as reflective tape and faux predators."

We suggest: The Outdoor Animal Repeller

The Outdoor Animal Repeller works on a variety of pests including raccoons, rodents, armadillos, bats, cats, dogs, and deer. It can also keep farm animals, such as cows, from wandering and feeding in areas where they are not wanted. The Outdoor Animal Repeller is ultrasonic and cannot be heard by humans. Great for keeping animals out of: gardens, trash cans, nesting areas, flower beds, garages, attics, cellars, basements, storage sheds, and anywhere pests are defacing property. 

B. Pets

Believe it or not, pets can deter certain pests from your garden. For example, cats are great at catching voles and gophers, while dogs can be good at scaring away small pests that may be lurking in your garden. 

C. Live Traps

While this works as an effective method to trap pests in your garden, some may not have the heart to trap a live animal or better yet, know what to do with the animal after it's caught. Kathy advises in her article that some states prohibit the relocation of wildlife. 

D. Fences 

Regardless of whether it is temporary or permanent, putting up a fence is an effective, long-term solution. For bigger pests such as woodchucks, deer, or rabbits, electric fencing is best, but can be time consuming and costly.

Cute, but can wreck havoc on your garden. 

Common Animal Pests: (*Click on pest to learn what to do when they approach your garden)

Small Mammals:

Chipmunks

Gophers

Mice

Moles

Opossums

Rabbits

Raccoons

Rats

Skunks

Squirrels

Voles

Woodchucks 

Large Mammals

Bear

Deer

Other

Dogs & Cats

Birds 

Snakes

Source:

Keeping Animal Pests Out of Your Garden