The Hardworking Garden Bed That Keeps Critters Out (2024)

FAQs

How to keep pests out of raised garden beds? ›

Diatomaceous earth

It hinders the movement of pests in and around your fruits, vegetables and flowers. Apply to the soil's surface in a continuous line around the perimeter of your raised bed. Its sharp edges (like microscopic broken glass) will prevent soft-bodies pests from entering the bed.

To put it simply, you should put a layer of organic material at the bottom of your garden bed, which will break down and enrich the soil. This can include compost, or woody material such as logs, dry wood, branches, and leaves.

Visual, auditory, and physical scare devices can be used to deter animals. These include ultrasonic repellers, motion-activated water sprayers, noise makers, and visual scare devices such as reflective tape and faux predators. The effectiveness of these devices may diminish over time as pests become familiar with them.

Install wire mesh below and alongside raised beds

Mice and small rats can squeeze through holes the size of a dime. Keep this in mind as you work to prevent underground and above ground access. Mesh wire should be laid along the bottom and sides of raised garden boxes – preventing burrowing access.

Bugs hate the smells associated with repellency, such as lavender, citronella, vinegar, peppermint, and geranium. These oils are considered a natural way of driving away bugs from your home without harming you, your family, and other animals.

As a natural animal repellent, the hotter the pepper the better it works. Powdered Cayenne, Chile and Jalapeno are favorites and easily obtainable from the herb section of your local grocery store. Add a tablespoon of powdered peppers to a quart of boiling water, let cool and fill spray bottle.

Put it in areas of your garden where skunks tend to gather. The strong smell of vinegar is unpleasant for skunks, so the t-shirt or rag acts as a natural deterrent. It won't harm the animals but will keep them away from your garden.

Use chicken wire with 1-inch mesh or smaller to create a fence around your garden or garden beds. If you do this, keep in mind that rabbits are diggers, so you'll need to dig down a little so that the chicken wire is at least 6 inches below the ground level. Check your barriers often for holes or signs of nibbling.

Vinegar is one of the best ingredients to make a pest control spray. It is effective in repelling ants, mosquitoes, fruit flies, and many others. Creating a mix is quite simple and is considered safe for humans and pets. Acidity of the vinegar is potent enough to kill many pests.

Netting, fencing, or even burlap covers can provide shelter and protection for smaller spaces and raised garden beds. Kinley makes her own cone-shaped cages to protect coral bells and other perennials until the plants are thriving in the spring and uses chicken wire to protect bulbs as they begin to sprout.

What are three mistakes to avoid when gardening with raised beds? ›

It acts as a physical barrier to block out pernicious weeds. Usually, 2 – 3 layers of cardboard will suffice, though you may want layers in more weed-prone areas. The damp environment created by the cardboard is conducive to earthworms and other beneficial soil microorganisms.

Slip a roll of chicken wire over an end stake. Unroll the wire and prop it up against the rest of the stakes when in use, and roll it up to when you don't want it visible. Plant pungent herbs such as rosemary and sage to keep cats out of a garden bed.

Squirrel-proof gardens by installing row covers, bird netting, or chicken wire, or line the bottom soil with hardware cloth. All of these options will protect the plants from squirrels while still allowing for sunlight and easy watering. 3. Create squirrel-proof bird feeders.

Add physical garden barriers.

If you've read Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Peter Rabbit, you know that a picket fence isn't going to do the trick when it comes to keeping rabbits out. Use chicken wire with 1-inch mesh or smaller to create a fence around your garden or garden beds.

Gophers: Gophers can dig up dirt mounds in your yard and will tunnel underground, eating everything in their path. Gophers will eat through roots, vegetables, stems, tree roots, and even utility wires.