Deer Control
An average deer can eat 5 pounds of greenery per day. Once they find a spot where they like to graze, they will return often. This could mean that a heard of deer could decide to graze in your flower or vegetable garden a few times per week. For most people, the damage that the deer cause to the flower or vegetable gardens far outweighs the awe factor of having a heard of deer in their yards. Here are some non-toxic recipes for repellent to deter the deer from grazing on your daisies.
- Put 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap and 1 ounce of hot sauce into a 1 liter spray bottle. Fill the bottle with water, shake it well to mix. Spray this solution directly on the plants that the deer have been grazing on.
- In a measuring cup, beat one whole egg with 1/4 cup of water. Pour the egg solution into a pump spray bottle, and spray the solution directly on your plants. This deer deterrent recipe can withstand light rains, since the egg will stick well to the plant leaves.
- For large volume applications, combine the following ingredients: 1 cup of milk, 2 tablespoons cooking oil, 2 tablespoons liquid detergent, 2 gallons (8 liters) of water, and 2 whole eggs. Pour the mixture into a pump spray bottle, and spray it directly on your plants.
Sooner or later, even the most stubborn deer will be dissuaded and look elsewhere for foliage. Once the deer have moved on to a new feeding ground, you may be able to decrease your spraying regimen.
Rodent Control
You will want to first secure any open food source for the rodents, this includes but is not limited to the compost bin. Sealed compost bins are recommended if you notice rodents in your garden. As a deterrent, soak some rags or cotton balls in peppermint oil (which can usually be found at health food stores), and place these soaked rags in areas of rodent traffic. It may be advised to place the rags under some type of cover, like under an eve of your house. This will help to keep rain from diluting the peppermint oil. Most rodents are allergic to peppermint and will avoid the area where the peppermint-soaked rags are located. This method is also effective on rabbits.
