2 weeks Ago By Alex Evans
Gardeners are being urged to put a bar of soap in their garden this winter - but it’s not to keep things clean. Though you might associate the peak of summer with garden pests , the winter months can actually prove just as problematic for gardeners trying to keep their green spaces free of intrusive or even invasive animals. Even in winter, squirrels, rats, mice and foxes can all cause damage to a garden.
While largely harmless, each of these can dig holes in lawns , chew through saplings, dig up winter planted bulbs, damage planters and leave unsanitary droppings behind. December is actually a great time to plant winter bulbs for the coming year, like broad beans, onions, garlic and lettuce. But all of these bulbs can be disturbed, especially by squirrels searching for a winter snack.
A bar of soap, though, is a trick gardeners swear by. If you grate or shred a bar of soap, then place it around your garden, the smell of the soap is enough to deter some pests like squirrels, mice, rats and even deer, if you’re in a wild enough area to get them. As House Digest says: “Some animals have sensitive noses, and the smelly scent of a fresh bar of soap could be enough to keep them out of your plants.
In this case, the more pungent soap, the better — so look for something like Irish Spring that is known for its potent scent. Opt for fresher soap, too: the longer it sits out, the more it loses that initial powerful aroma. If your bar's scent seems to be fading, cut it into chunks to release more fragrance.
” GardeningKnowHow adds that soap can also keep insects from chewing on your new saplings, as well as larger fauna: “Got a deer problem? What about mice? Gather up those strong-smelling soap shards and place them in a mesh bag or old tights that you can easily hang from trees in the garden, or around its perimeter. “Deer tend to avoid areas with fragrant soap. Likewise, you can keep mice away by placing pieces of soap in areas of the garden you want them to steer clear of.
Sprinkling soap shavings in garden spaces is also said to help keep a number of insect pests from feeding on your plants.”.
