Wild animals can be a menace to your land since they can destroy your crop. For instance, different types of animals such as deer, monkeys, birds, moles, rabbits, elephants, wild pigs, and stray animals can cause serious damage to plants. Most creatures feed on crops, and others can cause damage by trampling over the fields. However, there are various methods you can consider in order to protect your garden. Read on to learn how to keep your plot of land free from unwanted animals without causing them harm.
Use Fences
Fencing is one of the most popular methods you can use to deter animals from your field. There are different types of agricultural fences, and they are effective in keeping critters at bay. However, the practice of utilizing fences is regulated in different areas, so you must check the local laws to get an appropriate fence. The materials used and structure determine the quality of fencing. The following are some of the types of fences you can consider for your plot.
- Wire fences are made from woven metal wires. They are durable, expensive, effective, and require low maintenance.
- Plastic fences are less expensive and easy to install, but they have a short lifespan. However, they can be easily damaged by wild animals.
- Electric fences are designed to inflict electric shocks on animals that come in contact with them, thus keeping them at bay. These fences are effective and last longer but should be used in specified areas and must have warning signs.
When looking for a fence to protect your land, you should know the types of animals you want to get rid of.
Scare the Animals Away
Another option you can consider is to scare away unwanted critters from your land. For example, you can use a bird scarer consisting of advanced technology that detects the presence of specific birds in a specific area and activates the sound system. Once the system activates, it scares away birds from your garden. You can monitor your bird alert through an online portal, and this system is effective because it can scare away birds within a radius of about 250 meters. It is easy to set up and offers protection against different types of birds, including geese, crows, rooks, gulls, jackdaws, and starlings.
Natural Repellents
You can use natural resources to keep your plot of land free from unwanted animals. For instance, you can burn elephant dung and other materials that create heavy smoke to scare certain creatures away from your field. Garlic natural emulsion is also used to repel deer and rabbits from your garden. The sound of honeybees is said to repel elephants, so you can use beehive fencing to protect your crops. This practice also provides you additional income when you harvest the honey.
Chilli peppers also act as excellent natural repellents against monkeys, elephants, wild pigs, squirrels, and other wild animals. You can spray the solution around your field to keep unwanted animals away. Soybean, lavender, beans, and peas are effective repellents against rabbits. Castor oil is another natural repellent used to keep moles away. There are also chemical repellents you can get from stores meant to protect your crops from different animals.
Biophysical Barriers
Biophysical barriers serve the same purpose as traditional fences but consist of renewable materials like coconut tree bunches, bamboo sticks, and other shrubs. This cost-effective option can effectively protect your crops against wild animals. The other benefit of this solution is that it is safe and does not cause harm to animals or the environment.
Electronic Repellents
Electronic repellents are an effective, eco-friendly, and long-lasting method you can use to protect your crops from animals without harming them. There are mainly two types of electronic repellents. Ultrasonic electronic repellents produce high-frequency sound waves that repel wild animals, and sonic electronic repellents produce a loud noise.
Remove Food
You must remove the plants and other materials that act as food sources for different creatures. If animals don’t find anything attractive in your garden, they will stay away. Alternatively, you can use other food sources to distract animals from destroying the crop in your garden.
Another option you can consider is to grow nasty-tasting plants around your garden. For example, marigolds can keep rabbits away from your garden. Lavender and mint are other herbs that keep pests away from your field due to their taste. Do your homework first to get safe plants that can produce the best results depending on the type of pests you want to keep away.
Animals can cause serious damage to your crops, but the good news is that there are different methods you can consider to protect your field from unwanted foragers. You can protect your crops by following some of these tips depending on the area where you live.
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