Growing your own vegetables and fruits is a blessing. But protecting them from pests is a challenge. However, you can win this task easily. The only thing that you should have is proper awareness. Also, always try to be creative!
There are the best methods to protect your raised garden beds from animals. Check them out!
IDENTIFY THE CULPRIT
When you plan to grow vegetables in your garden, what factors do you first consider? Definitely, you will examine the suitable vegetable varieties that grow well in the particular area under its climate, right?
So, what would you do first when you try to protect your garden? If you are a genius, you will try to identify the culprit that has the possibility of damaging your raised garden beds. Unless I am 100%, you are unable to find correct and suitable protective ways. So, if you want to go with the right management ways, for example, to decide the height of the fence, you have to know the culprits.
Therefore, it should be better to do simple research by yourself to get a rough idea about the area where you live and which animals you have to consider to protect your garden in this area.
So, I hope that the below signs will help you make this task easier.
- Rabbits tend to make sharp cuts on woody plants and herbaceous. Also, they may tend to leave pallet droppings.
- Birds make holes in fruit or tend to eat your fruits
- You may have the ability to identify deer and raccoons by their tracks.
MAKE A FENCE TO BLOCK THEIR ENTRANCE
Building a fence is a prior thing to protect your raised garden beds. This way has become common because it gives perfect protection to your garden. But when you build the fence, you may consider the animals that try to enter your garden. So, go with these variations.
SQUIRRELS
As you know, this protective way may differentiate from your requirement. If you have the problem with ground squirrels, the important thing is that a raised bed 18 inches high must keep them from burrowing in. however, many growers want to make a fence around their garden. So here, you can dig an 18 inches trench to bury the bottom of the fence.
If you only have the tree squirrels, it is better to skip this step. Here you can make a wire fence that is 3.5-5 feet tall. Plus, it is better to set hardware cloth or plastic bird netting over the top of the garden.
RABBITS
It is better to construct the garden bed or fence at least two feet of height from the ground because this height is the minimum Hight you need to keep rabbits from jumping over.
DEER
There are many different options to try out. 100% effective. You can set up a privacy 6’ high fence. Further, you can set a 4’ high fence at a 45-degree angle inward or out. This is because deer have poor depth perception. Resulting of this, they may fear for the fence.
Another option is a 6-8-foot-wide border of large irregularly shaped rocks. Because ungulates or hooved mammals do not prefer to walk over rocky places, also, you can make an 8 feet high wire fence at a standard 90 degrees to keep deer out.
Moreover, if you wish to go with a double fence, it should be 4 feet and should have 4 feet in between the fences.
Birds
It is easy to keep the birds out by wrapping around the raised bed or plant with a bird net.
TRY TECHNIQUES TO DETER THEM
This method also you should follow after setting up a fence. Because these two methods work together, the result will be more effective and perfect.
SQUIRRELS
There is the best trick to deter squirrels. You have to do is sprinkle cayenne pepper around the base of the plants.
I have another option too. If you like to enjoy this trouble, find a list from your kitchen below.
- 1-gallon water
- 6 capfuls of Murphy’s oil soda
- 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
Then the next step is to mix them well and spray them around the raised garden beds. Do not worry; sprinkling this mixture on plants is safe.
Plus, many growers have found out that the predator’s urine also works well.
RABBITS
Do you have trouble with your falling hair or cutting hair?
Here I suggest a method to protect your raised garden beds through this trouble, falling hair. You have the ability to put human hair around the garden. It will help you to deter rabbits.
DEER
You can use predator’s urine to deter deer. Plus, applying bloodmeal also works.
BIRDS
You can pain rocks like fruits or whatever birds enjoy eating, place the raised beds, and hang the trees.
SCARE ANIMALS
You can stop animals by sacring them.
SQUIRRELS, RODENTS, AND RABBITS
If you rear a cat or dog, these small animals fear entering your garden. If you do not have one or do not expect to get one, maintain a dish of cat food. Because it will help you to attract tomcats to the garden, and they will mark your garden as their territorial spot.
DEER
It is great to have a dog that is trained to hunt deer. Also, some farmers believe that the realistic-looking owl sculpture is also a supportive thing.
BIRDS
You can get help from the old-fashioned scarecrow. Plus, an Iridescent tap tied to the plants also works well. Because when the sun touches the tape, it will become shiny, and birds may interpret it as a fire.
FEED THEM
When you feed these animals, their food requirement will be fulfilled. So, they do not tend to eat your harvest.
SQUIRRELS
Select a place that is in a corner far from your raised garden beds. Then set up a small feeding station with dried corn, sunflower seeds, and nuts. Do not forget to keep a water cup. Because mostly, squirrels tend to enter your garden due to their thirst.
RABBITS
You can plant a plot of clover or alfalfa. I think it is better than fighting with them. Because these two are their favorites. Because of that, they will not cast a single glance at your garden.
DEER
I am warning to do not to feed the deer. Because once they recognize your garden as a feeding area, it cannot change.
BIRDS
You can set up a separate area for bird watching by setting some foods they prefer. However, keep in mind to create this far from your fruit trees.
CONTAIN YOUR COMPOST
Do not set open compost piles because it will attract many different animals to your garden, including rodents. Therefore, it is better to go with self-contained compost with a lid.
TRY OUT THE REPELLENTS
You can use appropriate repellents to keep the animals away. However, before its uses, do not consider to get proper idea about their effects.
CHOOSE A LESS TASTY PLANTS
If animals highly attack your area, you can go with less tasty plants or plants that common animals do not desire in your area. This is not 100% effective, but it does not give up your battle.
