Garden enthusiasts are being warned to rethink a common practice as spring approaches. For thousands of years, farmers and gardeners alike have tried and tested various ways to prevent animals from spoiling crops and flowers, to limited effect.
As temperatures rise and days start to get longer, many people across the country will begin to think about the summer and the work required to get their garden looking perfect. For many, a key consideration will be keeping pests and critters away from flower beds, with a simple but effective technique being recommended to do so. Gardening experts Farm Flavour suggest that simply placing plastic forks around plants could be enough to deter animals from helping themselves to your hard work.
They said: “Before you toss that box of unused plastic forks from last year’s holiday gathering, consider using them in your garden.
“Placing forks in the soil around your plants will discourage animals like raccoons, cats, squirrels and deer from wandering into the garden and helping themselves to your crops.”
In theory, it is believed that sharp-looking cutlery makes approaching pests think twice about getting too close, leading to them avoiding the area.
While it might seem like a handy hack to deter pests or mark out plants, experts say it can actually do more harm than good.
One of the main reasons gardeners resort to plastic forks is to try to keep cats and other animals away from freshly dug earth.
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However, some warn that cheap plastic forks are brittle and break easily. When this happens, sharp fragments can be left in the soil, posing a risk to wildlife — and even to children working in the garden.
Moreover, plastic doesn’t degrade like natural materials. Over time, as forks break down, tiny microplastics can leach into the soil and the surrounding environment. Soil health advocates now say that protecting the earth should mean avoiding plastics as much as possible.
Plastic forks are by no means the only method on offer to aid the fight against unwanted visitors, with natural barriers likely to be just as effective.
The use of coffee grounds, citrus peel or rosemary oil is believed to deter pests due to the natural scents being unpleasant to cats and some other animals.
Chicken wire or mesh can also be effective when laid flat over freshly dug soil or around vulnerable plants, as it creates a physical barrier that stops cats and other animals from digging while also allowing light, air and rain to pass through.
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