Critters Begone
There is nothing worse than to see your plants being gobbled up by leaf-eating pests or used as a litter box by furry intruders. And although we gardeners can not control every creature that stumbles into our garden, there are ways to prevent your plants from being devoured.
From feral cats to curious groundhogs, the one thing they have in common besides a natural attraction to roam in your backyard is that they don’t like the smell of citrus. To add the scent of citrus to your garden, save your lemon and orange peels and throw them on the ground. You can also dilute the essential oils of lemon or orange into a spray bottle filled with water and spray the target areas. Another tip is planting herbs such as lemon thyme and lemon sage, and even peppermint can effectively keep intruders at bay.
A common household item is sprinkling coffee grinds around your plants. If you’re like me and hate coffee, you can always ask someone you know to save their coffee grinds for your garden. Not only are coffee grinds used as a deterrent against garden critters, but they also serve as a fertilizer for your plants too. And don’t throw away your eggshells after making an omelet because like coffee grinds, eggshells help fertilize and bring nutrients to your soil, as well as keep critters away.
Another kitchen item that works like a banishing charm is black and cayenne pepper. All you have to do is sprinkle the pepper around your plants and any critter heading towards your garden will stop right on their tracks. Just remember that if it rains you will have to reapply.
Other ways to protect your plants from furry intruders are to fortify your garden with an adjustable fence and cover any exposed openings with landscaping fabric. You can also install a sprinkler system that will not only water your grass but will scare off any four-legged creature from roaming your yard.
So whether it be planting lemony herbs or sprinkling black pepper, these are just some natural ways that won’t harm curious animals, but at the same time will keep your garden intact.
Happy Gardening!