Animals Eating Garden or Landscaping
Animals Eating Your Garden Or Landscaping Plants
Whether your passion is gardening or you only grow a few plants for practical reasons, having this hard work ruined by pest animals getting into the garden and eating the plants can be a headache. Growing plants well is something that takes care and attention, and when these animals gain access to the garden they can damage more than just plants, so being able to stop this from happening is important. Whatever the species that is causing the issue, there are steps that you can take to prevent the animals from doing the same again, and these both include measures to keep the animals out and to reduce the attractiveness of the garden to their taste buds.
Finding The Common Pest Species That Eat Garden Plants
There are a variety of different animals that could be getting in amongst your plants and eating their fill, and these can include burrowing animals such as moles and groundhogs through to species such as rabbits, squirrels and raccoons. Trying to identify which species is causing the problem can be an issue, but one tell tale sign is that if you see gnawing marks around the trunk of a shrub or tree, as this is a big sign your problem is to do with a rodent. You can also examine signs such as any animal feces for a hint as to the culprit, while setting up a motion activated camera will often help you to pinpoint the culprit.
While many people will be able to guess why an animal is getting in to the garden for food, with fruit and vegetables being an easy target, in some cases the target may be a little tougher to identify. Many rodents have a natural inclination to gnaw, which can lead them to look for plants with bark which will help them to satisfy this urge, while others can eat all manner of green leafed plants. For many people it will be an unpleasant thought, but there are omnivores that can come into the garden attracted by insects, and then remain when they find the garden plants which they can eat too.
Designing Your Garden To Be Less Attractive To These Animals
The design of a garden can make a big difference to how easily animals can get to the food sources within, and while creating a raised bed can be a little work, putting a removable mesh over the bed can help to keep the animals out. When it comes to climbing animals that take their food from fruit trees, there are metal guards that you can place around the trunk of these trees that will prevent animals from being able to get to the fruit. Choosing your plants carefully can also be very helpful, as low shrubs that provide cover can be attractive to animals, so choose your plants carefully.
Repairing Fencing Around The Garden
A good fence around a garden can make a big difference to how many animals can get in, so making sure the fence is in good repair is a good starting point. Try to ensure that the lower part of the fence is of a narrow mesh that will stop smaller animals from slipping through, and try to embed the fence around six inches into the ground to stop animals from burrowing beneath. If you are having problems with climbing animals, they will often be good at getting over your existing fence, so although it may not be the most attractive, a tall fence where the top angles outwards, topped with a barbed wire can help to keep those pesky animals out of the garden.
Using Animal Repellents
One of the biggest growth areas for garden products has been animal repellents over recent years, and while they might be very popular, the evidence to show they have a great impact is limited at best. While using this kind of product can supplement your approach to keeping the animal out, it is best to put your trust in more physical defenses as opposed to repellents.
Other Methods To Deal With Problem Animals
When animals are causing repeated problems in your garden, one measure that you may want to consider is using traps to catch the animals, which can then be removed from your area so that they are no longer an issue. Cage traps are best for this purpose, and if you can identify where the animals are getting into the garden, then setting the traps over this point can be very successful. Another more drastic option is to install an electric fence, as the small buzz that animals will get from the fence will deter them from wanting to get into your garden.
