Attractive or invisible bunny/raccoon deterrents?

Katerrific 5/3/2013, 1:30 pm

Hi all! We bought a new home late last summer and now I'm planning my first SFG. Here's the issue, which I hope won't come off sounding bratty: Our backyard is on a very pretty creek, with open views to many neighbors' yards, all of which are really lovely and well kept. I don't want to break the mold! However, the rabbits and raccoons love the creek just like we do and I need to plan for them. I've seen suggestions to sprinkle things like cayenne or black pepper around a garden as a pest deterrent, and I'm curious if anyone has experience with this. Alternately, what are your most esthetically pleasing ideas for barriers? (Low-cost, of course, is the kicker. Unfortunately we've spent our "improvements" budget on the house itself.) I think the chicken wire cage in the book isn't too bad, but I'm curious if anyone has thought up anything else.

slimbolen99 5/3/2013, 1:48 pm

I go to a wholesale food supplier and buy a 5lb bag of black pepper and sprinkle liberally around the garden.
The other option is a BB gun -- if it's legal in your municipality.

Another option is "predator" urine; such as fox or coyote, or something like that, that you can spray around on low spots around the garden.

Best of luck!

**camprn** 5/3/2013, 1:57 pm

For a balanced eco system, is it really in the best interest of all the creatures there to be spreading all sorts of noxious stuff about? Or shooting them? Shocked

Also, the water source will be used, one way or another, by all the wildlife in the area... water is vital to life......

If you want to protect your garden from wildlife that wants a feast, fence in the whole garden...

**RoOsTeR** 5/3/2013, 2:02 pm

Here's something a bit different that I do around my beds besides chicken wire:
High enough to deter, yet low enough to reach in and work.
Attractive or invisible bunny/raccoon deterrents? 20120731_162901

Attractive or invisible bunny/raccoon deterrents? 20120731_162901

Lindacol 5/3/2013, 2:56 pm

The Scarecrow motion activated sprinkler:
http://www.amazon.com/Contech-CRO101-Scarecrow-Activated-Sprinkler/dp/B000071NUS

Or a short electric new type fence.

CapeCoddess 5/3/2013, 3:09 pm

A cat and 12" beds seem to work for me. I noticed that my newest 8" bed is getting chewed on lately. May have to fence that one in.

Also, table top beds would work. You can put that in the search box and see all kinds of beauties.

CC

jazzycat 5/3/2013, 5:54 pm

Hot pepper flakes may end up in their eyes and cause serious damage. It gets on their feet, and they use their feet to wash their faces. You might want to try something else. Some cats have been known to literally scratch their own eyes out the burning was so bad. At least, that's what I read. It makes sense.

mschaef 6/17/2013, 7:55 pm

I know that this might be a bit late in the season but I have heard and am trying this year myself that if you plant onions around the outside of you garden that the bunnies will smell them and leave. They don't like the smell. So far they have left my peas alone that have the onions in front and behind them. My green beans I planted garlic around and they have been getting munched on.

mollyhespra 6/17/2013, 10:44 pm

jazzycat wrote:Hot pepper flakes may end up in their eyes and cause serious damage. It gets on their feet, and they use their feet to wash their faces. You might want to try something else. Some cats have been known to literally scratch their own eyes out the burning was so bad. At least, that's what I read. It makes sense.

Thanks for posting that. It would not have occurred to me.

Thankfully, I've never done it so no posthumous guilt, phew!

My solution was to fence the whole front yard in. Expensive, yes. But with a brook out back and my property being a natural funnel for the wildlife coming into town, the cost of the project was worth it for us. We had to save up for it (took us almost 3 years of gathering materials) but in the end I can't tell you the relief it is to see greens growing where I used to wake up to (or come home to) devastation.

Roseinarosecity 6/18/2013, 4:38 pm

I have used this in the last 3 years and it works great. It prevents my chickens, my dog, and squirrels away from the vegetable garden. I don't have a problem with rabbits but the fencing is 42 inches. It's a polyethylene mesh that is easy to set up. I was even able to make a simple door by cutting it and attaching clips to the poles; it includes clips with hooks. It almost looks invisible in the picture in the link, but it is clearly visible at close range.
Good luck!

http://www.gardeners.com/Pest-Fence/8586794,default,pd.html?start=5&q=fencing

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Attractive or invisible bunny/raccoon deterrents?

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