How to keep wildlife out of your summer garden and landscaping

SALT LAKE CITY — Along with lush grasses and beautiful flowers, Utah’s wildlife could soon show up in your garden. Because as pretty as some of those plants are to the eye, they are equally appealing to deer, and to a deer’s stomach.

Will they find a tempting option in your backyard?

Tips to keep wildlife out of your garden

Dax Mangus, Big Game Coordinator for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, said these animals —  often deer — are looking for food and water, and that yes, they might just find a tempting option in your yard. 

And since it’s likely that you don’t want these visitors, Mangus said there are things you can do to prevent animals from picking at your crops. One of the most severe solutions is placing an eight-foot-high fence around your property.

“Wildlife is not going to jump that fence and get in there,” Magnus said. “An eight-foot fence is probably, you know, your surefire way to get that taken care of.”

Beyond that, Magnus suggests options such as motion-activated sprinklers or being mindful of the types of grass and other plant species you plant.

“We have lists of the ones that deer really like. And we have lists of ones that the deer don’t like as much,” he said. “So you can kind of take that into consideration and, you know, plan your landscaping accordingly.” 

Related reading:

• Utah’s wildlife impacted by historic snowfall
• Tips for growing a healthy garden during drought