We need ideas for large pest control!

[crunchymum]

We just planted our garden... Last year we had a lot of pest problems, they kept eating stuff when it got ripe, before we had a chance to pick it. :mad

We live in an urban area, so we get rats, stray cats (although I kind of doubt they are a problem, except for the one that we keep finding in our garage :bite) squirrels, and I saw a racoon once.

Is there anything we can do for pest control? We really don't want to cage everything in - I'm not even sure that would work, the rats tunnel under stuff. :-/

[Macky]

Ask on most gardening boards what is tried and true and they will tell you netting or wire mesh fencing. :shrug

The only other thing I've heard people say works are the motion-sensor sprinklers (http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/page.aspx?p=44958&cat=2,51555&ap=2), but they're expensive. Rats (and mice) probably wouldn't trigger it (you'd have to check). The former should be trapped and removed anyway, though (we're required by law here).

We've had success keeping deer away with human hair clippings obtained from a salon. I dont know how it works with other creatures and you have to re-apply when the wind blows it away.

Good luck!

ETA: We have a dog and nothing touches our garden. ;)

[crunchymum]

Thanks! I'll see if hair clippings help. :think

We do have a dog, the critters just laugh at him. I'm telling you, these are hardened city critters. :lol last year I picked a bag of produce and left it next the the garden box for a few minutes while I went inside. When I came out, there was a honking huge rat peering into the bag, on his hind legs. :jawdrop I gasped, and he looked at me, I SWEAR he sighed and rolled his eyes, and then just sort of sauntered away. He went under our porch to wait, he didn't even have the curtesy to pull his tail all the way under. :rolleyes

afa trapping and removing, we try our best, but we live in such a densly populated area that we keep getting new ones. :-/ :sigh


Maybe netting will be our only option, and some kind of sheeting (like the black plastic kind)? Has anyone ever had success with "scarecrow" type stuff, like something that flutters and shines in the wind? :think

[mamacat]

For rats/squirrels have heard that putting one of those large plastic owls found in garden dept.s help because owls are natural enemies.I have heard it really works

[Rabbit]

Rats are about as smart as people, and very inventive.

[Victorious]

Yeah, our rats figured out how to not snap the traps we set out for them and *I* still can't figure out how they did it :scratch

[mamacat]

We took our RV to a large RV repair place one time and they had those plastic owls posted and the owner said that it was totally keeping the rats and mice from coming in to the garages and they had tried all sorts of traps prior to that

[Macky]

Scarecrow-type things (fluttery, reflective tapes usually nowadays) are mostly effective with birds, I believe.