If you’re planting a garden right now, you’re certainly not alone! About 27 million people in the UK have gardens, and it shows no signs of slowing down in popularity. Thanks to the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic, more people than ever are finding ways to be creative at home, and gardening is a great way to do that.
Gardens have many benefits, whether you decide to plant flowers or vegetables. They’re a great way to alleviate stress, stay active, and then can even become a personal zen space in your own backyard.
But, avid gardeners will tell you that one of the biggest challenges of having a garden is keeping critters out! So, what can you do to create a beautiful, bountiful garden this season while making sure some of nature’s four-legged friends don’t destroy it?
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Use Raised Beds
One of the easiest ways to keep larger animals out of your garden is to plant in raised beds. Many gardeners already do this because beds are practical and often easier to work in. If you’re having a problem with animals like deer, you can install gates or wire fencing around the beds to keep them out.
Thankfully, you don’t have to have much construction knowledge to put a raised bed together. Today, there are raised bed kits you can purchase, making the process easy for anyone.
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Use Safe Repellents
There are plenty of critter repellents on the market that can be used in your garden that won’t harm your plants. If your garden happens to be close to your home, using these repellents can keep unwanted ‘pests’ away, like mice. If mice do decide to make a home in your garden, you might risk them coming into the house and having to contact a mice control service. It’s better to use a repellent on the outside than having to deal with rodents on the inside.
Most repellents work by giving off a bad smell to animals nearby, so they won’t want to come around. For extra potency, try applying your repellent(s) right after a rain.
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Make Messy Edges
While you might be tempted to keep the edges of your garden neat and tidy, that’s basically an invitation for small critters to come inside and check out what kind of plants you have. Instead, make the borders of your garden messy with things like grasses and shrubs.
These work as sort of a natural fencing that also happens to be edible. Not only will it be less inviting for animals to come into the garden, but if they try to, they’ll get caught up with the grasses around the edge and chomp their way around them. Hopefully, that keeps them from getting too far into the garden itself and ruining your plants.
Keeping unwanted critters out of your garden doesn’t have to be complicated, and you don’t have to hurt the animals who are coming up out of curiosity. Keep these tips in mind to keep your plants safe, the local wildlife safe, and to enjoy your garden without fear of it getting trampled or eaten all season.
