When Deer Are Not So Dear

Many people love seeing wildlife in the backyard, but not when it means the garden is on the menu for the local animal population.

Knowing the habits, diets and nature of the beasts, as well as following through with preventive measures, can keep critters from ruining your garden. By taking the proper steps this fall, you may prevent the fauna from fattening up on the fruits of your labor next spring.

Who Is Feeding in Your Garden?

Animals can destroy a garden quickly, especially a small garden. Two or three deer or a family of rabbits can devour a bed of lettuce in a few days. Damage just from deer can exceed $600 million annually in the northeastern United States, according to Northeast Wildlife Damage Management Co-op.

With a bit of detective work, however, you can find out what pests are attacking the garden and take measures to discourage them.

First, the plants you put in your garden will help you determine which animals you are attracting.

Look for footprints or animal droppings on the soil as evidence of what is invading. Keep watch around dusk, the time animals usually appear to feed.

Also, keep an eye out for nests or deer beds near your garden. Animals return to their habitats if they feel the area is secure. Additionally, the rough tearing of leaves points to deer damage, whereas rabbits and groundhogs bite cleanly.

“It can be very discouraging to put a lot of effort into a garden only to have wildlife enjoying most of the harvest,” says Greg Seitz of Seitz Wildlife Services of Drexill Hill, Pennsylvania.

Home Wildlife-Deterrent Remedies

Many home and garden supply stores offer sprays or ground pellets to deter wildlife from your garden. If you buy a product, make sure it is pet-friendly and free of poisons.

Alternatively, make your own garden spray with items found in your pantry, such as hot peppers, vinegar and garlic. To detect and deter specific animals from your property, try the website mspca.org/intruderexcluder, operated by the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. It can help you identify and correct wildlife intrusion. Eartheasy.com is another site dedicated to providing earth-friendly solutions for animal intruders in your garden.

Planning and Preventive Measures

When autumn air turns as crisp as a freshly picked apple, deer, squirrels and even bears are also looking to fruit trees for food. During fall, large numbers of deer forage for almost anything edible to build up calories for the upcoming winter, according to the Washington State University Master Gardeners website .

You may keep large and small animals out of gardens by installing fencing, the only reliable tool for reducing damage. “Make sure the fence is at least four feet high around the entire garden and secure at ground level," Seitz suggested. "Burying the fencing below ground may be needed to prevent animals from digging under the fence. And don't forget about a gate for easy access.”

Also, remove or thin out plant debris, discarded weed prevention products such as WeedGuard and other fibrous materials. They can harbor rabbits, mice, voles and insects, which are food for raccoons, moles and opossums.

“Once they have found a suitable place to live and a steady food source, raccoons will not just go away,” Seitz says on his website. “Trapping and exclusion may be needed to solve the problem.”

Natural Deterrents

Keeping foraging animals away from gardens can be as simple as giving them other things to eat. According to a Wildlife Services report published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, planting “lure crops to draw birds away from affected fields is recommended as part of an effective integrated damage management strategy.“

Want a fun way to get kids involved? Make a scarecrow for your garden to shoo birds and larger animals away. Something as simple as an old pair of overalls on a clothes hanger dangling from an apple tree branch can deter wildlife from approaching an orchard.

Another trick is the use of plants with bitter or strong flavors, a recommendation from the Washington State Master Gardeners. By planting such fragrant, pungent herbs as oregano, cilantro and basil, you may discourage nibbling while reaping the benefits of having these fresh spices on hand.

On the other hand, damage could be so severe that you need to call animal control. No matter how great the damage, always use safe methods and avoid poisons at all costs. Poisons get into the soil and are harmful to pets. You may find natural sprays at your local home and garden shop.