RE: Deer/grounhogs

We planted tomato plants and spinach and other vegetable plants, we have deer and groundhogs that come in the garden and eat everything... this year we put cages over the plants, even on the spinach? Any suggestions to deter these animals from eating out stuff..We do not use chemical so any natural ideas would be great.

Thanks

I use "hav-a-hart" traps for the groundhogs. I don't have a deer problem.

We have deer everywhere and they used to destroy the tomatoes, I've tried spraying repellents with no luck. The best way and cheapest way I found to keep them out and it has worked for years. Set up posts around the garden that are about 6 feet tall. Then wrap clear fishing line around the posts connecting them, with about a foot to a foot and a half in between lines. 12-14 lbs test will work just fine. Make sure it is tight, and make sure to leave a spot for you to get in the garden. The deer can't see the line and when they bump into something they cannot see they get spooked and run away. I don't worry about my tomatoes to deer anymore. I have never had a problem with groundhogs though.

Hi, we have groundhogs, they really live on a wild area just behind our garden. This is my first year growing anything but I had heard that the groundhogs were a real problem - and last week we had muddy footprints on our deck, overnight he had come to investigate some flower pots!! Luckily bulbs planted and nothing growing yet!

I did find a few sites that gave lists of things groundhogs probably won't eat - like onions, so I have planted onions in the ground. The rest I am doing in containers (for various other reasons too) and I've read that they can climb but don't like fences that aren't really solid, so I'm going to fence in some containers with chicken wire I think. I have no idea if this will work, but it's based on some stuff I read recently.

I also read if you are planting beds if you can put chicken wire or similar under the soil it will deter them digging under a fence. To build a fence it was recommended to put some chicken wire along the ground first and then curve it upwards (so it is at a 90 degree angle, does that make sense?). Again this was to deter them from digging under the fence.

I also read that if you can collect a man's urine and spray it as an invisible "fence" this may deter some animals!!!!! I think you can buy an animal version of that, but you might be able to get the human version for free!!! Pretty natural!!

I just heard from a neighbor (we were talkin about groundhogs) and she said she had researched everywhere and found that human or dog hair scattered around your beds will repel them. I haven't tried it since my wife doesn't want to see hair all over. But it does sound like a viable solution.

Thank you all!

very creative advice out there! :-)

I will try the hair one :-)