With their sweet fragrances, confident flamboyant petals, and their easy-going growth cycle, it is no wonder why lilies are among the world’s most admired flowers. There are more than 100 different species of the lily plant scattered all over the globe in places such as Europe, India, Canada, the United States, and the Philippines. They grow easily in fertile soil with good drainage, as well as being placed in an area that receives full sunlight.
Lilies instantly beautify garden beds while promoting wonderful feelings of calm, love and happiness. Nevertheless, we humans aren’t the only ones who adore lilies. Their sweetness also attract nuisances, such as rabbits and deer. I don’t have to tell you how annoying and heartbreaking it can be to discover your once beautiful lilies are found to be half-eaten and broken. The obvious solution to this problem is to repel these pests in a safe and humane manner.
- Garlic Bath: Give your lilies a bath with a solution that contains six cloves of minced garlic soaked in one pint of water. Spray periodically around flower beds and lightly on the flowers. Repeat this process after each rain, since the solution will wash away.
- Repel with Urine: Did you know that you can purchase the urine of predator animals, such as coyotes and wolves, and use it as animal repellants? Well, you can. In fact, spraying your garden beds with a predator’s urine is one of the most effective methods of deterring deer and rabbits. It safe and natural and won’t harm your plants or the animals.
- Hair Clumps: There is something about clumps of hair that rubs bunnies and deer the wrong way. Some gardeners have found success by placing clumps of loose human hair around their garden beds. You can easily get human hair from barber shops. You will have to replace the hair with fresh clumps once a week.
- Motion Activated Deterrent: A motion activated outdoor animal deterrent, such as “The Scarecrow”, is one of the easiest and most non-invasive ways to deter deer, rabbits and other such wildlife from your precious lilies. It works by spraying water sporadically and unpredictably when animals come too close. It is chemical-free and continues working both day and night.
- Feed Them: One way to deter deer and rabbits from your lilies is to give them their own food. Setting up attractive deer and rabbit feeding stations away from your garden will keep them away from your flowers, while giving them the food they come seeking.
It is important to repel wildlife as safely as you can while trying to avoid using commercial repellants. Commercial repellants often contain a cocktail of harsh chemicals that can degrade your soil and harm the wildlife. You do not want to harm the animals; you just do not want them to harm your plants. All of the methods above are easy, effective, and safe.