A well-maintained yard can perform many functions for your family. It can be a tranquil sanctuary, a playground for kids and pets, a mini-farm to grow fresh veggies, and a welcoming place to host gatherings. In order for your yard to be one (or several) of these things, you’ll need to invest time and money. Designing a tranquil space with the right plants and water features, installing and maintaining grass and a swing set, setting up and caring for a vegetable garden, and creating an outdoor space that is comfortable for parties all require planning and ongoing maintenance.
Unfortunately, there are plenty of ways nature might try to sabotage your efforts — animal invaders in your yard, to name one. Deer deposit droppings, munch on your grass, and destroy plants. Birds and squirrels snap up tasty seeds and vegetables before you can harvest them, and can be quite aggressive to humans in some cases. And although cats are skilled mouse-catchers, they also love to dig up gardens and can be pretty noisy and smelly during their mating period. And let’s not forget that all these animals may be carriers of disease.
How do you keep these animals away from your yard, so you can enjoy the outdoor environment you’ve worked hard to create? Here are a handful of ways to make your yard inhospitable to animal invaders.
1. Deer
As the largest and most skittish of the group, deer are generally easier to repel than smaller animals. Creating a large barrier around your yard (or small parts of it) is one of the most effective ways to keep deer out. Building a fence is one option, although you will need to build it at least 6 feet high to keep out avid jumpers. Make sure to check your city code regarding fence height before you commit to a fence. Other ways to create barriers are large shrubs, wrapping newer trees and shrubs in tubes and netting, and surrounding plants with fishing wire.
If you have deer in your neighborhood, you’ve probably noticed how easily they get scared. You can use that fear to your advantage when trying to keep them out of your yard. Use motion sensor lights and sprinklers to ward off deer. They hate bright lights, and the sudden spray of water will send them running. Sudden noises from your dog barking and wind chimes can also deter deer as well. Deer are even scared by new objects, so replacing items in your yard frequently may work as well — think yard art, sundials, or even a scarecrow.
For areas you can’t fence in, consider deer resistant plants. Deer are on the lookout for many of the same fruits and vegetables we love as sources of water and protein. Keep these tempting plants behind a fence if possible, and choose plants that don’t appeal to deer for anywhere outside your fence. Plants with unappealing textures are a perfect fit. Deer don’t want to munch on fuzzy or prickly plants any more than we do!
If none of these options suit your needs, there are also a number of deer repellent sprays on the market, and numerous concoctions you can create at home. Deer Off uses the scent of rotten eggs, garlic, and hot peppers to dissuade deer. The rotten egg smell indicates to deer that there’s a dead animal in the area, and probably a predator eating that animal. The combination of garlic and spicy peppers give the deer a bad taste as well. Plantskydd also uses smell to convince deer there’s a predator in the area — in this case, the main ingredient is dried blood. You can also make your own home remedy using the same ingredients, or try using fabric softener, soap, or ammonia to confuse their sense of smell. If you plan to use soap, deer especially dislike the scent of Irish Spring.
3. Squirrels and Birds
If squirrels frequent your yard, you probably see them skittering on top of your fence, running up tree trunks, and chasing each other around. Birds are frequently seen walking through grass after a recent mowing — they’re looking for worms and tasty bugs. And of course, you’ll see birds up in trees, power lines, and doing what they do best: flying. Both birds and squirrels are quite nimble, making it pretty difficult to keep them away from something they want — but there are still ways to repel them.
Similar to repelling deer, your best bet is to create a barrier. Unfortunately, fences won’t do anything to deter squirrels or birds, as they can easily get over and around them. Barriers will work for specific plants and possibly the whole garden — just not the entire yard. Build your own using materials such as chicken wire, bird netting, or weighted covers. You can also put plants in already constructed cages to protect them – just make sure the holes are small enough to keep squirrels and birds out.
Squirrels and birds also scare quite easily — just a look at one for a few minutes will give you an idea of how much they flinch frequently in response to their surroundings. Dogs and cats love to chase squirrels, so just having one in your yard is a natural deterrent. Like deer, they are also startled by lights and noises, so outdoor adornments like prisms, wind chimes, bells and even garbage can lids can scare them. Birds can also be scared off by the sounds of predators, and even a fake owl or hawk in your yard. Machines that emit predator sounds can deter birds, but also cause a lot of noise outside your home.
For squirrels, the scent of a predator will drive them away. Get that scent by purchasing predator urine (hawk, coyote, tiger) and spraying it around your yard. This will give squirrels the impression that a predator lives there and that they should stay away. If you’re comfortable bringing in the real thing, hawks and owls are natural predators of squirrels. Learn about the types of birds of prey in your area to understand how to attract them to your yard.
Removing what is attracting squirrels to your yard is another option, as well as using repellent sprays similar to the deer repellent sprays mentioned before. Get rid of any fallen fruits and nuts quickly to keep them out of the hands of squirrels and birds. Keep trash can lids shut tight. Consider mulching on top off newly-planted seeds to discourage digging. The most effective repellents for squirrels contain elements of capsaicin (from hot peppers), peppermint oil or vinegar. Solutions of cayenne pepper, chili powder, and paprika mixed with water can also be effective in deterring squirrels. For birds, an anthranilate solution sprayed on plants will leave a bad taste without harming plants.
3. Cats
Cats roaming the neighborhood (and entering your yard) can be beneficial in some ways. An active cat population can help limit the number of rodents in the area. Unfortunately, cats love to dig, and if they aren’t spayed or neutered you’ll know it based on the smell of male cats spraying and their yowling during mating times. Feral cats aren’t exactly friendly either, so if you have small children you’ll likely want to keep them out of your yard.
One of the most direct ways to limit the feral cat population in your area is to use Trap-Neuter-Return, or TNR. As part of this process, cats are trapped and brought to a veterinary clinic, spayed or neutered, vaccinated for rabies, and placed in permanent or foster homes. Rather than just removing cats (when more will appear later), TNR allows cats to return to their environment minus all the noises and odors associated with mating. However, they still may get into your yard to dig.
Methods to repel cats are similar to those of deer, birds and squirrels, with some distinct differences. Cats are also startled by lights, noises, and sudden movements. A motion-activated sprinkler will provide benefits for some time, but cats are smart enough to learn how to avoid the sensors after a while. Ultrasonic devices — similar to those used on dogs — emit noises at a frequency only cats can hear when a cat enters the device’s range. The noise is annoying to cats and will keep them out of the area. If you plan to use one of these devices, make sure you know the area it covers. You might need multiple devices to cover the entire area of your yard, depending on how big it is.
To specifically address cats’ digging behavior, there are a number of different tools that can prevent digging. The Cat Scat Mat is a mat intended to cover soil, with small holes and small plastic spikes. The spikes prevent the cat from digging without injuring it. If you have a large or oddly-shaped area to cover, consider purchasing multiple mats and cutting them into pieces that fit the area. Covering the soil with large rocks can also prevent digging, with the added benefit of keeping out weeds. Lattice fencing laid on the ground works similarly to the mat as well — lay it on the soil and plant seeds or seedlings in between the openings.
In terms of cat repellents, you can choose from plants that cats dislike, store-bought repellents and remedies you can make at home. Gardeners report mixed reviews on the ability of smell-based cat repellents to deter cats, but they can be used in conjunction with other methods. The most commonly known cat-repellent plant is called Coleus Canina, or the Scaredy-Cat plant. This plant has the smell of a skunk’s spray when encountered up close, which is offensive to cats as well as humans. Critter Ridder and Reppers are among the widely-available cat repellents in stores. If you prefer to make your own remedy, consider various citrus fruit peels, coffee grounds, tobacco, and the herb rue. Lavender, citronella, peppermint and eucalyptus oil can be used as well.
Deer, squirrels, birds and cats can all wreak havoc on your plans for enjoying your yard. Before investing in any new yard features, make sure you know which animals are frequently in your yard and what strategies you can use to keep them out. Addressing animal issues prior to implementing any big plans for your yard will help make — and keep — the inviting environment you desire.
The post How to Keep Large Garden Pests Away From Your House appeared first on Living Direct.