Mammals versus My Garden

[deanarae]

This year I will finally be able to have a real garden, not just a few plants on a 3rd-story fire escape. I'm excited, but concerned that I'll just lose everything right off the bat due to the high number of deer, squirrels, and other furry neighbors

Comments

[amergina]

I'm going to assume that non-chemical means natural or organic

[david_anderson]

First off, don't plan on keeping everything out. You will never succeed. We have deer, rabbits, gray and Douglass squirrels, voles, mice, rats, raccoons, coyotes

[david_anderson]

Oh yeah, deer don't like the aromatic herbs. I heard that you could plant a rosemary hedge and they would not cross it. I don't know if that is true, but I planted a prostrate rosemary plant near the roses out front and the damage to the roses dropped significantly last year. It was only one of those little ones in a 3 inch pot.

[preitas]

I know a lot of people don't do this, but I personally feed my squirels. They seem much happier to eat corn than to dig for anything. Yes they are now the laziest fattest squirels ever :)

For deer I don't have this problem as I have a fence :P

[squid_ink]

Deer hate daffodils (as witnessed in the movie 'Bambi' - squirrels hate it too) and you can always put crushed pepper around the plants to keep the animals away.

I have daffodils in my backyard and no one has eaten them in two years. The tulips.. all gone! You may want to consider planting some bulbs around the veg garden, unless you're planting peppers, onions, tomatoes, eggplant and cukes.

But if they're hungry enough, animals, specifically deer, will eat anything and everything.

I have a fence around my veg, and I leave food out for the squirrels and wild turkeys on the opposite corner of the acre.

PS All that deer repellant, Bobex and Repellex.. useless.

[faerydragonet]

There is a nontoxic sprinkle called Critter Ritter that I love. I got it from Armstrong. I have opossum/racoon/skunk/cat problems and it really keeps them off.