Voles, above, are tiny creatures that live in the debris just above the surface of your lawn. They eat roots and tender stems.
Grackles and crows can be a real nuisance in the garden, especially when nesting. They will swoop down and attack homeowners. They also love to rub their wings in marigolds to use the miticides in the flowers.
even die back. They also enjoy a thick cover of mulch, so if using this, keep it away from the stems of your shrubs. Both these animals are dealt with, if
you can’t prevent them from visiting, with poison baits or trapping, but you should probably have a professional help you out. Plantskydd is also said to prevent their incursion into your prop- erty.
Cats and dogs Cats can make a habit of using your
garden as a litter box, leaving unpleas- ant surprises when you are digging in the soil. Bylaws that keep them penned up in
houses, however, are probably short- sighted if you are concerned about the other critters such as rabbits, voles, moles and mice. Cats do help keep these populations in check. To discourage cats in the garden, plant Coleus canina, a plant that both
26 • SUMMER 2013
cats and dogs find particularly obnox- ious. Spreading coffee grounds and orange peels in the garden is also said to discourage cats from using it as a latrine. If this isn’t enough or if you have
a particularly determined cat in the neighbourhood, try adding something prickly or sharp to the soil. A sure-fire cure is to cover the garden with chicken wire hidden under a thin layer of soil. You can cut openings to provide access for plants. If this seems a bit too drastic, dogs can
be discouraged from using your shrubs as their bathroom by putting out a bit of food (bread, anything). They will eat the food and refrain from making this feeding station their bathroom. Dogs also avoid rue. They like comfort, so if they are using a sunny garden bed as a dog resting place, add something sharp or prickly to the garden: rose cuttings
Moles live in underground tunnels. You can dsitinguish their tunnels by the little volcanoes of dirt they leave at the tunnel exits.
are one suggestion. You can also invest in a motion-acti-
vated water sprinkler. It works on both cats and dogs!
Crows and grackles Both these members of the corvid
family are beautiful and smart, but they can be unwelcome in the garden. For one thing, grackles will clean their nests and drop their fecal sacs into bird baths, ponds or swimming pools. They will also dive-bomb the garden owner when nesting. They will prey on other nests. And
if you plant marigolds, you know that these black birds will behead your flow- ers by rubbing them under their wings. The marigolds contain an anti-parasitic oil that helps rid the birds of infection and mites. To discourage these birds, find a way
to destroy their nests until they give up and go somewhere else. V
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