Gardening has its benefits and problems. Being in the sunshine, mixing with dirt, and seeing the fruit of your hands grow can be invigorating. The opposite is also true. Taking the time to plant seeds, watching them come from the ground, perhaps get blossoms, then overnight, see that something got to them! Outrageous! But how can you fight against wildlife?
Sure, you can stay awake all night fending off nocturnal creatures. Or you can take the time to hot-wire fencing around your garden, hoping your pet or children will stay away. Stores sell harsh chemicals that make the unwanted visitor turn away. Is there another way?
Yes!
Plants Repel
Taking extra time to plant certain things strategically located can help deter wildlife.
For example, rosemary can keep away rabbits. Deer do not like aromatic plants like mint or dill, and they do not like fuzzy leaves. And then there is cilantro.
Few plants are as flavor-controversial as cilantro. Because it is intensely flavorful, cilantro turns some people off. It makes a wonderful deer and rabbit-resistant plant, although they’ll sample your plants if there’s not much else to eat. Planting a cilantro patch at the far end of my garden has brought mark-worthy results. So far, I still have my green bean plants, corn stalks, and peppers, a rare occurrence for this time of year.
I had not planted the cilantro as a wildlife deterrent but as an herb for some meals. But I found the two-fold purpose: eating it and using it as a barrier. Admittedly, it is rather aromatic. But I can use less at a time if that means I will have a harvest later.
Growing
Cilantro grows bright green clusters of flat, aromatic leaves. It prefers cool weather and will form white flowers once the weather heats up (cilantro seeds are harvested as coriander). Some say this easy plant will spread through your garden if you allow it. Clip the leaves at any time for use in the kitchen.
And now you know a simple, down-to-earth solution for those wild creatures that sneak their share of the harvest.
