A simple trick to keep animal visitors out of garden beds

At first glance, it may look like a joke, or simply the result of someone being too lazy to clear up after the last barbecue. In fact, it is a surprisingly effective way to deter unwanted animal visitors – requiring no chemicals, costing virtually nothing and having a remarkably strong effect on the harvest.

The unseen garden threat: why beds are often wrecked overnight

Many amateur gardeners will recognise the issue: the bed looks immaculate during the day, but by morning young plants have been snapped, soil has been disturbed and seedlings have vanished. In most cases, the cause is not a mysterious disease, but very real visitors.

Common animal visitors in garden beds

The most frequent culprits include:

• Cats, which use loose soil as a toilet
• Squirrels and birds searching for seeds and nuts
• Rabbits or other small mammals nibbling young shoots