How to discourage garden rodents and pests
How to discourage garden rodents and pests away from your garden is something all gardeners ask. There are many ways to do this with store bought chemicals that are specially made for the certain rodent or pest you want to discourage or you can go with some homemade remedies.
Common garden pests would include aphids, slugs, and spiders. Common rodents that like gardens are gophers, moles, and rabbits. These are just a very few of the types of problems that gardeners deal with. Some rodents and pests are only found in certain parts of the country but as a gardener you are sure to run into at least one rodent or pest no matter where you are from.
You can buy pesticides and other rodent or pest control products at your local greenhouse, home improvement stores and most super stores. These products will tell you on the package what pests they help manage. Some pesticides can not be used around house pets so it is a good idea to read carefully. The directions will also tell you how to use the product safely and accurately. Some of these products need to be used in the morning or on dry gardens. Following the manufacturer directions will help insure that you rid your garden of the rodents or pests you may have plaguing your garden.
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For a more natural approach to keeping rodents or pests away from your garden you may need to know which plants are best for your area and climate. Planting flowers or other plants too early will make them prone to rodents or pests. Do a local search for what times are best to plant annuals. If you are still unsure ask a local home gardening club or greenhouse. Sometimes a plant just will not do well in the area because of soil or climate. You can still put them in your garden but be aware that it may take more care to keep them pest free.
Cleaning up your garden areas is also a good and natural way to keep rodents or pests away from your gardens. Remove and throw away already dead plants or plants that look like they aren't doing so well. They may already have pests and it is best not to keep them in your gardens. These dead plants can also become food for the rodents or pests to feed on making them come back for more. Dead or infected plants will also attract more pests making it harder to control later on. Clean gardening tools every few weeks with warm soapy water to help prevent spread of the smaller pests.
For some of the bigger rodents like rabbits, moles or gophers you may need to plant fences in the ground around your gardens. You will want to plant the fence in the ground far enough to prevent any of the rodents from tunneling under. Cats and Owls are thought to protect the gardens from rodents like gophers or rabbits.
Herbs and malodorous flower bulbs can also be a way for you to keep rodents or pests away from your garden. When herbs are added to your garden as companion plants it can be beneficial to both plants. Many rodents or pests don't like certain herbs or flower bulbs so if planted next to the plants they are occupying then they will stay away from that plant. When trying this method look at which plants will look nice together and not detract from nutrients. Some plants may make good companions but both require a lot of water. This would cause them to dehydrate and become prone to pests.
To discourage garden rodents and pests you will need to make the plants less appetizing to them. You can do this by store bought pesticides or a more organic way with special plantings. You can also try to use an owl barn, cats or fences.
