Comments on: Weekend Gardening: Not All Garden Pests Have Wings

By: Matthew Michaels

Matthew Michaels — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 19:40:43 +0000

My wife had the same problems. After a few nights with my pellet gun, problem solved. Best garden we ever had. Forget fences and chemicals, nothing will work.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 15:10:56 +0000

So far, yep we have those little furry things, too, plus deer. We have been using Deer Pharm to deter the deer and it seems to be “helping” with the bunnies, but they are still trying to take out my cucs! Last year, we had to cage the squash, which never recovered from the bunnies eating most of the leaves and all of the blooms, over-night. The plants lived, but NEVER grew any bigger than they were that fateful night.

By: Andrea

Andrea — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 16:08:00 +0000

Hi Kelly. Let me say first I’m not a dog expert. There are products on the market that can deter dogs from certain areas, but I don’t have any expertise in their use. If you think the dog can be trained to stay out of the garden, you might want to try that first and consult a dog trainer for suggestions.

By: Kelly

Kelly — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:40:47 +0000

Our problem is out big german shepherd / lab mix (ironically named BabyGirl). she is laying down in the middle of one of our beds (ruining squash in the process) and eating the canteloupe plants. How odd.
So now I’m on the hunt for a dog deterrant. Any ideas? Oh – there is a fence – she jumps it. Grrrrrrrr

By: Debbie

Debbie — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:45:53 +0000

This is the biggest obstacle I’m facing in planting my garden. It’s still time to plant where I’m at – but I have a bunny who has taken up residence in our yard. Not only that, but he loves to recline in one square of my raised garden!!! I have enjoyed watching him/her play, but I don’t want to lose my tomatoes like I did last year. We are looking for humane options, too – and I hope my garden survives!

By: Judy

Judy — Tue, 19 May 2009 00:21:32 +0000

We garden here in the winter and I didn’t have any trouble with any little critter’s but it seems like my 125lb mutt that we rescued has a penchant for all things veggie and growing in my garden. Caught him eating tomatoes right off the vine!!! I’ll know better next year, for sure!!!

By: Natashya

Natashya — Mon, 18 May 2009 15:27:08 +0000

Wow, total decimation. I love how much space you have for gardening!

By: Becky

Becky — Mon, 18 May 2009 14:31:44 +0000

I’m experiencing Bunny issues myself. We thought we had bunny-proofed out backyard with fencing, but of course the little buggers are probably getting under the fence. My pepper and broccoli plants have suffered the most. At first I thought it was bugs b/c I really haven’t seen any rabbits, but the people at the garden center said it sounded like rabbits…SOOOO…
We coated our garden and fence line with Liquid Fence Dual Rabbit Repellent. Its free of harmful chemicals, just smells icky. I am not endorsing it, as I don’t know how well it works (yet), but I will say it smelled obnoxious for a few hours, but then the smell faded (they say the rabbits can still smell it).
My grandma, an expert gardener, swears by Dried Blood Meal, available at any garden center. Plus, its good fertilizer.
I hope these suggestions help us both!! Best of luck!

By: Andrea

Andrea — Mon, 18 May 2009 11:02:24 +0000

We’ve tried several humane options. Last year I sprinkled cayenne pepper all over my saffron crocuses to keep the bunnies from eating them, but it was only temporary, and this year the bunnies ate them all. We even tried setting a trap for a catch and relocate program, but the little buggers managed to get the bait without getting caught. Time for drastic measures.

By: Lydia (The Perfect Pantry)

Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) — Mon, 18 May 2009 10:54:27 +0000

I’ve also tried sprinkling cayenne pepper around my tender leafy plants. It’s not harmful to animals but does make them uncomfortable. Downside is that you need to reapply whenever it rains.