How to pest proof your garden

Our gardens are havens for wildlife and pests alike, and sometimes those pests encroach on our enjoyment a little too much. Here are six easy ways to pest-proof your garden without resorting to harsh chemicals or inhumane methods.

6 ways to pest proof your garden

1. Clean up leftover food

Prevention is the easiest way to stop pests from coming uninvited to your garden. There’s nothing more alluring to pests than leftover bits of food. So, every time you have a get-together or decide to dine al fresco, make sure you thoroughly clean up after yourself. Brush down your decking and make sure all bits of food have made it into the bin.

Speaking of which, make sure that your bins are tightly secure and can’t be accessed by any curious creatures.

2. Break out the spice jar

While food may attract unwanted rodents and insects, herbs and spices can drive them away. Spices with strong, pungent smells like cayenne pepper and cinnamon are natural repellents to mice and rats.

When it comes to smaller beasts, garlic, peppermint and copper are fantastic deterrents for slugs. If you enjoy drinking fresh coffee and have plenty of leftover grounds, these can also drive slugs away from your garden as well as cats too. Plus, coffee grounds are a fantastic fertilizer for your garden!

3. Plant tactically

Not all plants are delicious and inviting to wildlife. Some taste bad, are too tough to eat or have off-putting thorns. When it comes to slugs most of the plants they dislike are actually great for adding flavour to your cooking! Think along the lines of basil, rosemary and thyme and plant these in a similar area to the plants you want to protect. The strong smell will put off any creepy crawlies from having a nibble of your best flowers.

4. Add motion

If birds are your main problem and are making a mess of your decking or shed, adding unnatural movement to your garden will help to keep them away. By that we mean movement that doesn’t come from a tree or plant but rather an object that could be considered unnatural to your garden. Think along the lines of wind chimes (if you can tolerate them) or bright, shiny streamers that can be draped in trees or plants.

Not all birds are a nuisance though. If you want to attract smaller birds but keep away the bigger pests like pigeons, special feeders are available to buy that should put a stop to your pigeon problem.

5. Block out the small gaps

The underneath of your decking is a haven for small rodents and creatures. It’s warm, dry and importantly keeps them protected from any hungry hunters looking for prey. So if you want to keep them out of your garden, chicken wire is the best option. Simply run it around your decking to block off any small crevices and that’ll put a stop to rodents making their way in. You can then cover this up with a trellis or plant pots if you don’t like the look of it.

6. Put an end to woodworm

The final little pests that you definitely don’t want anywhere near your garden are woodworm. Woodworm are attracted to damp and rotting wood and unless you protect your decking or shed, it’s a prime place for woodworm to thrive. Our Decking Protector guards your decking against the sun and rain so it won’t rot or grey. And most importantly, it’ll stop your decking from becoming home to little bugs and beasties.

There you have it, our guide on how to pest proof your garden mainly to keep it in tip-top shape. Find your nearest Ronseal stockist to pick up all the decking and garden maintenance products you need.