Putting a lot of time and energy into a flower garden can be a very rewarding experience. However, finding your flowers have been eaten by a groundhog or a rabbit can be very frustrating. Listed below are some taste and scent deterrents that you can apply to your garden that will make it less appealing for these critters.
• Place dog hair in a nylon stalking or onion bag. Attach this to a small stick and place in and around your gardens. If you do not have a dog, a grooming studio should be able to set some aside for you. The groundhog or rabbit will smell this and think a predator is near.
• Sprinkle a thin layer of bloodmeal fertilizer on your garden. Again, the groundhog or rabbit will think a predator is close.
• Sprinkling talcum powder on your plants will leave behind an unpleasant chalky gritty taste.
• Sprinkling a bit of lemon juice on plants also leaves a nasty taste.
• Garlic powder is another common taste deterrent.
• Bitter apple spray can also be purchased at pet stores. This non-toxic spray will also give your plants a bad taste.
The above deterrents have a higher success rate when used in combination with each other and when they are reapplied often, especially after it rains.
In addition, you can try:
• Planting garlic, onion, or marigolds near the plants you would like to protect.
• Planting a patch of clover or alfalfa to lure them away from other plants.
• Use sturdy wire fencing that is 1-1.5m in height. Leave the top 0.5m section unattached, bending it outward and all the way around. Bury the bottom of the fence to a depth of 40cm under the ground.
• Encircle vulnerable trees and plants with chicken wire with a mesh size of 2.5cm or smaller to a height of 1m. Bury the bottom of the fence to a depth of 15cm under the ground.
• The use of pinwheels can make rabbits nervous
• Scare balloons can also be used to change their environment, making them nervous of new stimuli in their surroundings
• Bury a glass bottle neck in the ground to make a whistling noise