Keep Wildlife Out Of Your Backyard
There are many things to consider while designing your ideal backyard but people tend to overlook one crucial problem that is usually out of our radar until it’s too late, and that’s the problem of wildlife. Granted, some homeowners want to be in touch with nature and like squirrels and rabbits wandering around their property. They are surely a beautiful sight to be seen, but when they start to do you harm, you should raise the question of their usefulness. Of course, rabbits aren’t the worst thing you can face. Just imagine the damage a deer can unleash upon your garden. Here are few measures to prevent wildlife from invading your backyard.
Know what you are dealing with
First step in dealing with any kind of problem is of course, knowing what that problem actually is. Wild animals are usually scared of human beings and they won’t be polite enough to show themselves during the day, so it would be a good decision to
set up a trail camera . These cameras can be triggered by motion detection and they will provide you with valuable information of what you are facing during which particular time of the day, so you can notice patterns and take the right countermeasures. Installing motion-triggered lighting would also be a good idea. Other than helping you to get a better picture of your intruders, sudden burst of light might scare off the animals.
Build a fence
You know how they say: “Out of sight, out of mind”. They are right.
Building a fence that is large enough will not only prevent wild animals from entering your yard, it will also discourage them from ever wanting to take a leap into your property. While wooden fences are alright, we would recommend short needle spruces or a thick hedge of boxwoods to keep you safe. Remember that deer is quite the jumper, so go for the height of at least 8-feet if they are really persistent.
Natural ways of keeping intruders out
If animals breach your first line of defense, there are other ways of making your yard less attractive for invasion. For example, if squirrels are eating your flowers before they have a chance to bloom, try
planting garlic in the yard. Aside from discouraging squirrels from digging around the flowers you will have an added bonus of fresh garlic close by. Smaller animals will also be kept aside by spraying plants with a mixture of cayenne pepper and water. Deer on the other hand, is a whole different issue because, if hungry, it will eat anything and none of the plants will prevent it from doing that for sure, but you can at least try. Go for ornamental grasses and foxgloves as well as herbs with a strong fragrance and thorns to keep those happy-eaters far and away.
Get a dog
Wolves are deer’s natural predators but they of course, don’t make very good pets. That’s why dogs, their closest kin, are the next best thing. They will intimidate the wild life and keep other animals out of the yard, but only as long as they are able to roam freely. Your dog’s urine will serve as a natural deer-repellent and that is another reason to keep it off the chain. Buying a large beast won’t be necessary and a medium sized dog will serve your purpose quite nicely.
Much as most of us love the wildlife, and enjoy the sight of beautiful animals, sometimes it’s necessary to keep them at bay. Follow these simple guidelines and your yard should be a deer-proof fortress.
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229913 - 2023-07-17 11:48:14