A home garden is a great way to connect with nature. However, there is nothing more frustrating than seeing your lovely plants eaten by wild animals. From raccoons to squirrels and rabbits, these little intruders are drawn to gardens for food, water, and shelter.
Once inside, they munch on leaves, pluck flowers, squash tomatoes, and trample over your plants. If you are also exhausted of unnecessary wildlife disturbances and looking for how to keep animals out of the garden naturally, then you are at the right place.
In this article, we combine the most famous and practical methods to keep wildlife away from your garden. Let’s get straight into it:
Why do Animals Keep Coming to My Garden
Gardening and wildlife go hand in hand. An unprotected human garden is just like an open buffet for animals. It offers a rich and accessible environment for wildlife to thrive. Enriched soil, food resources, nesting areas, multiple scents, and well-groomed grass are enough to grab their attention.
In urban areas, the leading cause of wildlife invading your garden is a lack of outdoor resources and a natural environment. The following are some of the main reasons they’re drawn to your lawn:
- Tempting food resources like fruits, vegetables, and seeds
- Dense shrubs and decks are secured nesting spots
- Birdbaths, ponds, and puddles offer clean water
- Leftover scraps and outdoor pet bowls
- Quiet, undisturbed, and safe environment
How do Animals Enter My Garden?
Understanding how wildlife enters your space helps in taking the proper precautionary measures to keep animals away. These little intruders are surprisingly clever and can find their way even in protected spaces.
They can enter lawns through small, overlooked gaps and weak spots. The following are some common entry points:
- Fences and gaps
- Cracks in the wall
- Open gates
- Climbing tall structures
- Holes in the grass
Now, let’s explore some simple and effective methods to keep animals out of the garden naturally.
6 Natural Ways to Keep Animals Out of the Garden
Install a Fence
The most practical way to keep the animals away is to install a fence around your garden. A durable fence creates a physical barrier that discourages wildlife from entering your space.
- A tall 6 to 8 foot fence is enough to deal with deer. For raccoons or small intruders, use a fence with a low-voltage electric track.
- Some animals dig underground to make their way. So, to secure the bottom, bury the fence at least 10 inches in the ground.
Choose a durable material like chicken wire, mesh with small gaps, metal fence, or hardware cloth for fencing.
Netting
Aside from animals, birds also invade lawns and parks for food and shelter. You can protect your garden from birds by installing bird nets.
Netting is affordable, reusable, and offers close protection in areas where it is needed the most. Cover your birds and seedlings with durable nets to protect them from birds, rabbits, and small animals.
Natural Deterrents
- Planting natural deterrents as animal barriers is an ancient technique to protect your garden. Certain plants, like mint, lavender, or chives, repel animals.
- Using crushed eggshells, pinecones, and unpleasant textures makes animals uncomfortable to step on.
- Some scented repellents, such as vinegar, garlic, and peppermint oil, also discourage wildlife visits.
- DIY sprays and repellents are another simple way to discourage small intruders like squirrels and rabbits. Just mix water and hot chilli flakes or dish soap, then spray it lightly on leaves to make them less appetizing.
Motion-activated Devices
Another eco-friendly solution is to install motion-activated devices.
- Sprinklers are motion-activated devices that release a burst of water when they detect movement.
- Similarly, automated flashlights produce very bright lights when they detect movement nearby.
Noise Prevention
- Wildlife are sensitive to loud noises. Noise prevention devices like alarms are installed in front of gates. When animals try to enter your garden, these devices produce a high-pitched sound that deters them from entering.
- Also, Ultrasonic devices are installed in gardens. These devices produce a sound when they detect motion. Animals find these high-frequency sounds uncomfortable to hear and leave your garden.
Defensive Barriers or Traps
If animals keep coming to your garden even after trying DIY methods and repellents, then it’s time to consider adding a proper physical barrier. Installing humane barriers, fencing solutions, and using live traps are effective ways to capture unwanted animals safely without causing harm. Once captured, the animals can be carefully relocated back to their natural habitat, helping you protect your garden while maintaining wildlife safety.
Long-term Preventive Measures
The presence of wildlife in the garden can eventually find its way into your home. Once inside, they cause damage, diseases, and pest infestations. Click here to read: The top 5 risks of having wild animals in your home.
However, all the above-mentioned methods provide temporary resistance against intruders. For lasting protection, prevention is the real key. Below are some natural methods to keep animals out of the garden in the long run.
Encourage Predators
Invite natural predators to your garden to keep the balance and pest population under control. That might sound unrealistic, but birds of prey and owls eat rodents, chipmunks, and small animals, keeping your garden safe against wildlife.
Similarly, attracting insects like ladybugs and lacewings is the best way to limit the pest activity. Make birdbaths, bird feeders, fountains, and bird houses to attract these natural predators and enjoy an animal-free garden.
Planting Resistant Crops
Small plants, scented flowers, and thorny bushes make your garden appealing and also prevent animals’ entry. Animals like deer and rabbits avoid strongly scented plants. You can also plant lavender, onion, garlic, and herbs like rosemary and thyme to add a natural shield to your garden.
Make Your Garden Less Inviting
What if your garden did not provide any food or shelter to wildlife? Yes, you got it right, animals will not stay if your space does not provide them with safety and food. So keeping your garden clean makes it less appealing and less inviting. Small steps, such as removing extra seeds, securing compost bins, removing fallen fruits, and avoiding pet food in the garden, help keep animals away.
Also, regular trimming and removing large bushes reduces hiding spots for wildlife and contributes to long-term prevention.
What if Natural Methods are Not Enough?
Have you tried all the natural methods to keep animals away from your garden and still see no effect? It’s high time to contact professional wildlife exterminators for immediate animal removal.
At Wildlife Removal Pro, we offer reliable and affordable raccoon removal in Toronto. We inspect the infected areas, remove animals, and clean the mess in no time.
Final Verdict
You can control unwanted animal invasions without using harsh chemicals or expensive sprays. In this article, we thoroughly discuss the natural deterrents, barriers, repellents, and some famous DIY hacks for long-term prevention.
Additionally, maintaining a beautiful garden does not mean it has to be completely wildlife-free at all times. You can use these short fixes from time to time to keep animals out of the garden naturally. However, in case of severe infestations, we advise you to call professional wildlife exterminator services.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common garden culprits are raccoons, squirrels, rodents, chipmunks, rabbits, and birds.
Strong scents, such as mint, oregano, garlic, lavender, and certain herbs like rosemary and lemongrass, deter animals.
Using fences, netting, and natural deterrents is the best way to keep animals out of the garden. Additionally, regular cleaning, trimming, and proper maintenance also contribute to long-term prevention.