While you may enjoy watching the antics of squirrels and chipmunks as they scoot about the lawn or run up and down trees, what is not so much fun is to look out in the morning and see soil scattered about which has been dug from your containers by these same critters. Fortunately there are ways to stop this happening although some are more effective than others. I found an article by Abbi Hayes over on the Planters Place website which has some helpful tips on how to solve this problem.
If you have ever grown anything in a container, then you have likely had the experience of coming out to check on your plants and finding potting soil and maybe even a plant or two scattered around the container.? Because potting soil has such a loose consistency compared to soil found in the ground, any critter that likes to bury nuts and seeds for the future, like chipmunks and squirrels, will dig in and thank you for making their lives easier by making a mess of your container garden.? Think about it, would you rather dig into a nice airy potting soil or a hard patch of clay?? Below, I will share a few reliable methods that will help deter small animals from making a mess of your plants, but keep in mind that, despite our best efforts, nothing is ever 100% critter-proof because nature always finds a way around even our best efforts to control it.
There are several granular products available in stores or online that contain smells to deter rodents.?? They can simply be sprinkled onto the surface of the soil, but will need to be reapplied every so often depending on the weather and the product.? One is Critter Ridder, which uses a blend of capsaicin (peppers) and makes digging into soil an unappealing endeavor for small animals.? Another granular is Shake Away, which smells like the urine of specific predators depending on what you?re trying to keep away (e.g. the smell of fox and coyote urine will repel rodents).? There is yet another product called Predator Pee, which is available as a granular, liquid, and small pre-packed canisters that can be hung in or near containers.
See more at: Planters Place
Hugh Evans
I am a keen gardener and so created Garden Pics and Tips for people who love gardens and enjoy great pictures of plants and gardens. Also covered are practical tips on all aspects of gardening.
Bernice Crosby