Heres how to protect your garden from your hungry neighbors.
Youll need to combine a few methods for the best results.
Fencing is the best way to keep most critters out of your garden, says Mengak.
Credit:Getty Images / Tammi Mild
Put up a fence from day one to prevent animals from finding a food source in your yard.
Youll need a fence of four to five feet high for deer.
A motivated deer can jump an 8-foot fence.
But if there are many other things to eat, it wont jump it and risk getting trapped inside.
The fence must also be buried about a foot deep so they cant tunnel underneath it.
Most repellents have been developed for deer but may work for rabbits, too.
A sprinkling of a smelly fertilizer product such asMilorganitearound plants also may be useful.
Regardless of what you use, reapply every five to seven days and after rain.
But be aware that animals sometimes get accustomed to the funky taste or smell.
When they discover nothing bad happens to them, theyll just keep chowing down.
Dont rely on home remedies.
The scientific evidence is weak for home remedies.
However, theres no harm in trying these methods.
If it works for you, do it, says Mengak.
Just dont expect it to be infallible.
Garden in pots or raised beds.
Depending on the culprit, you may be able to discourage some types of feeding.
For example, beds taller than three feet will limit rabbit damage.
And pots mounted on railings or window boxes keep tender plants out of their reach.
Scare tactics, such as motion-activated water sprays, can be effective.
Choose less tasty plants.
When theyre hungry enough and competition is high, animals will eat anythingeven plants they wouldnt ordinarily touch.
Your local university coop extension service (find yourshere) may have regional plant recommendations.
Hire a nuisance wildlife specialist.
Sometimes a problem is more than it’s possible for you to handle.
Andarmadillostear up gardens and lawns looking for bugs, and there are no repellents that work.
If you are persistent and combine different methods, you usually can make your garden less enticing.
But you probably wont eliminate all damage.
This has always been a challenge.
But when you live with nature, its ultimately about finding a way to get along.
