Protecting your garden from pests

Maintaining the sanctity of a clean garden is a tall task. With the sweltering summer heat at its peak during July and August, many recreational gardeners spend hours outdoors striving for the perfect flower arrangements and savory fruits and vegetables. All of that hard work for a flawless display of picturesque radiance and aromatic splendor can be ruined with a little help from the feathered flyers and their unwelcome birdie bombs.

When it comes to landscaping, birds and other pests can be a complete nightmare. Not only are their droppings unsightly, they are also acidic, causing major erosion to multiple surfaces including wood, iron, metal and aluminum. Many rodents, especially rabbits, mice and squirrels, love to nibble on flowers. Other larger urban-dwelling animals will sniff out the fresh fruits and veggies and make a meal of it.

What many people do not realize is that there are many environmentally friendly, cruelty free ways to restrain pests and critters from having your tomatoes, tulips and strawberries for lunch. Most have made the mistake of using poison, which harms the animals and the plants; ineffective visual scares like plastic snakes or owls, and scare crows; or trying something that is unreasonably pricey.

A great place to start is to use sound devices. There are two types: sonic and ultrasonic. Ultrasonic sound devices deliver ultra high-frequency sound waves that are beyond the normal human hearing threshold. The sound annoys the pests, discouraging them from inhabiting areas in earshot. Sonic devices also work wonders. Most of them are programmable and deliver harsh harassment sounds that trick animals into thinking there is a predator near.

Visual scares are another option, and they do not have to be aesthetically unappealing. Moving-eye holographic balloons that are hung in trees give the allusion that the animals are being watched everywhere they move. This method works exceptionally well with birds and bats that think they are being followed everywhere they fly. Also try plastic foxes or coyotes which are both effective in scaring off deer, geese, ducks, rabbits, skunks and other rodents. Multi-color strobe lights give off intimidating, intense white, red and blue lights that are intolerable and disorienting to birds.

Canada geese are attracted to manicured, pristine lawns and open spaces, just like humans. Preserving a more natural terrain around the edges of small ponds, rocks, flowers and other foliage is uninviting. Another alternative is putting up spikes wherever birds like to roost, like on ledges, support structures and beams. If spikes are not what you are looking for, using non-toxic gels on the same areas is a discreet, low-profile way to have an identical effect. It makes the surface uncomfortable and sticky to birds.

There are multitudes of ways to protect your garden from unwanted critters snacking in your perennial paradise. The most effective approach in ridding your property of these creatures is appealing to more than one of their senses. These or any methods word best when they are used synergistically. Attacking their eyes and ears is the best way to preserve radiance in your garden.