There are lots of ways to deter animals from grazing in your garden this summer, but hitting them in the olfactories just might be the most effective.
Welcome to this week's edition of Something Wild. I?m Rosemary Conroy for the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests.
For gardeners, this is a fruitful time of year. But it can also be a frustrating time if you are dealing with hungry wildlife.
Deer and woodchucks are the main garden marauders, but chipmunks, squirrels and other rodents can do plenty of damage, as well. If you want to keep Bambi and his friends out of your tomato patch, there are several techniques you can try.
Most wild creatures rely heavily on their noses to help them navigate the world?s dangers. Use this to your advantage. Make your garden resonate with vaguely threatening smells, and most critters will tend to avoid it.
Create this non-welcoming atmosphere by hanging smelly soaps around your garden, or spreading human or dog hair. And speaking of canines, consider marking your territory the same way they do. Yes, I mean with urine. While it may seem unpleasant to us, that?s how many animals communicate with each other ? and the message is often ?keep out.?
You can buy predator urine from garden supply centers ? or not. After all, it?s pretty easy to come by for free. Humans are predators too, you know. Of course, if you have neighbors nearby, you may want to wait until after dark to mark your territory.
One drawback to using smelly stuff for deterring wildlife ? besides it?s potential for creating embarrassing circumstances ? is that you have to replace it often. Rain and time will fade the potency of your defensive perimeter. Consistency is important.
And yes, there?s always the solid, 8-foot high fence. While effective, it can be expensive and not always aesthetically pleasing.
True, marking your territory with urine may not be either. But as with most things in life, it?s often a lot easier to just go with the flow.
Something Wild is a joint production of the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, New Hampshire Audubon, and New Hampshire Public Radio.
Fore Something Wild, I?m Rosemary Conroy.
