Growing a vegetable garden takes a fair amount of time and patience, no matter how many tomatoes or heads of cabbage are growing in your yard. As a gardener, you know how frustrating it can be when local wildlife attempts to invade your garden and ruin all of your hard work.
It’s important to know what you can do to deter wildlife from entering your vegetable garden. With these simple tips, you can safely keep animals out of your backyard and your garden.
Eliminate Access to Hidden Areas
If your vegetable garden is close to a porch or deck, you’ll want to ensure there are no gaps or entryways underneath — this is an easy access point for small wildlife, particularly squirrels. Sealing off your porch or deck requires adequate preparation before you buy the materials you need. You’ll need to inspect the area first to ensure animals haven’t already borrowed underneath the wood.
If there are any squirrels currently living under your deck, you may need professional squirrel removal services from the experts at Wildlife Shield. They’ve seen it all and have the tools and resources to remove unwanted wildlife from homes across the GTA safely.
If you’re able to secure the space yourself, you’ll likely need patio blocks or hardware cloth to secure any openings —or if the project requires an extra layer of protection, you may want to explore the trench-and-screen method.
Build a Fence
Building a structure around your garden is one of the most effective solutions for wildlife prevention. Depending on the severity of your squirrel infestations, you could construct a wooden or mesh fence — the mesh fence is more malleable and can be cut to size, which may benefit homeowners with a small or irregular-sized garden.
Manicure Your Green Space
Small wildlife, like squirrels, are often found hiding in tall bushes or uncut grass, which is why your yard must be regularly manicured. If the area surrounding your garden acts as a nesting area, it becomes increasingly challenging to rid your yard of squirrels and their families.
Sprinkle Repellants
Squirrels, in particular, are known to have a strong sense of smell. This makes poignant scents a powerful deterrent, especially when it comes to protecting your vegetables. Strong spices such as garlic clips and even castor oil can help deter stubborn wildlife. Mothballs could also be used as a deterrent, though you should proceed with caution as they can be poisonous to pets and children.
Sensory Devices
Audio and visual-based repellants are a popular short-term solution for small wildlife — many homeowners choose to use ultrasonic repellers, noisemakers, or motion-activated water sprayers to deter their neighbourhood squirrels.
On the visual side, scare devices like reflective tape or faux predators can also be effective though they may not be a long-term solution. When it comes to an audio or visual repellant, it’s essential to switch up your methods, as animals can pick up on these patterns.
