How to keep deer, rabbits, squirrels and moles out of your dang garden
We are officially into the summer season. As we enter this season, everything in your yard should be looking good right now. We have had somewhat excessive but very timely rainfall throughout the spring. At times, this has been frustrating but very beneficial.
Experienced gardeners know that it is only a matter of time before these great conditions go away. We know weather trends are all about averages. If we experience above-average rainfall, at some point, we will have some level of drought. The same goes for the below average temperatures.
With all of the rainfall, trees and shrubs have made substantial new growth. If you typically ignore these plants in the summer, you should probably consider providing them with water to help sustain all this season's growth when we enter a dry spell.
Here are some animals to look out for this season. They will eat your plants or dig holes in your yard.
Deer
All of this lush growth on our plants is also very appealing to the wildlife in the neighborhood. The biggest eaters, as related to both physical size and appetite, would be deer.
They can nibble on trees and shrubs, and you might not notice. It's a different story when they find your annuals and perennials. You want to make sure you are using a repellent to keep them away. There are many to choose from. I am frequently asked which is the best.
Deer Scram, Liquid Fence and Milorganite Fertilizer are some of the most recommended deer repellents. They are all very effective. To get the best results, throughout the season you should use more than one. You should alternate or rotate so you mix up the smells. If you only use one, the deer will get used to the smell and return to your plants.
Rabbits, squirrels and voles
There are other critters that also cause problems, including rabbits, squirrels and voles. Rabbits are feeders. The rest are diggers, which can be very frustrating.
Fertilome has a new product this year called CritterGo. It is a spray that you apply directly to your plants. The scent works as a repellent. Since it is applied to the plants, it also ruins the taste of the plants for the feeders. It is listed to work for rabbits, squirrels, groundhogs, voles, deer, chipmunks, elk and moose. (No need to worry about those last two.)
Chipmunks
What I feel are the biggest troublemakers are the chipmunks. I have had problems and challenges with chipmunks for years. Like all new products, I gave this CritterGo a try. This is the first product I have ever used that worked for chipmunks. I sprayed it in the area and tunnels where they had been digging.
Moles
There is one major nuisance that you should start to see less of. This is the mole. The mole population increased substantially in some areas over the last several years because of the two broods of cicadas.
It's going to be several years before the next cicada brood becomes a major food source for moles again. Now, many of the existing moles will starve, and the survivors will not reproduce as quickly as they do when they are well fed.
You are likely to see less mole activity in your yard in the upcoming seasons. The population is still heavy for now. If you have moles, there are castor oil-based repellents you can use. These are always temporary. The moles will return if not regularly applied.
The most effective way to eliminate the moles is to trap them. We have a great local resource for trapping information. This is The Moleman, Tom Schmidt. His website provides excellent information. If you do not want to do the trapping yourself, he provides the service. I have used his services, and he catches them every time. You can find all this information on his website: www.themoleman.com.