Garden pests can be a persistent problem and can cause serious damage to your plants. While chemical repellents are an option, they’re not always the safest or cost-efficient choice.
Fortunately, there’s a clever alternative already in your kitchen, but it’s not a food item as you would expect. Gardening experts swear by tin foil. With just a few simple steps, you can give your garden the protection it needs from mice, deer, and birds — here’s how.
1. Mice
According to Home Digest, mice have a strong sensory aversion to aluminium foil. They dislike its shiny surface and are deterred by the crinkling noise it makes when stepped on.
Additionally, while mice are known to eat through a wide range of materials, aluminium foil appears to be one they avoid chewing.
“Consider putting pieces of aluminium foil specifically around entry points to your home. These include below doors, under windows, and any crevices you can find.
“Foil is malleable enough to stick in these small spots and wrap around areas mice might climb in an effort to access your home, such as outdoor furniture, gutters, or pipes,” said the experts.
2. Birds
Most gardeners like to have a fruit-bearing tree in their garden. But the catch is, you’re not the only one eyeing the harvest. Birds are quick to steal the ripest fruit.
“Protect your fruit trees with fishing line tied with twisted strips of aluminium foil. The light reflected from the foil wards off the birds, as does the sound of the foil moving in the wind,” shared How Stuff Works.
This also works for crows and bats. To deter these types of birds and mammals, hang strips of aluminium foil around the outside of your garden, focusing on areas where they are commonly seen, such as near roofs.
3. Deer
“When considering pests, deer might not be the first species you think of. However, if you have small trees in your garden without a protective barrier, such as a fence, it’s possible that they may become feasting grounds for deer.
“You can help keep deer out of your garden and away from small trees by installing a fence, but using aluminium foil may offer a more immediate (and budget-friendly) solution. It works by creating a shiny and textured surface that deer reportedly stay away from.”
Wrap tree trunks with aluminium foil in order to prevent deer from eating the leaves off of trees. You can also ball up sheets of foil and place them around the bases of plants.
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