Deer

When it comes to deer repellent, there are a few myths out there. The purpose of this post is to shed light on the misconceptions regarding deer repellent.

If you have deer destroying your yard, read this.

Just Plant Deer-Proof Plants

This may very well be the number one myth. There are a few reasons why planting deer-proof plants doesn’t work.

Firstly, deer will eat anything, especially in the winter when food options are reduced. And when I say “anything”, I mean the exact plants billed to be deer-proof.

Deer, like cows, are ruminants. This means they have several stomach chambers, usually three or four, that break down plant material in steps. Since they have these extra stomach chambers, they can eat some otherwise impossible-to-digest plants.

Another problem with the deer-proof plant argument is the fact these plants do nothing to stop them from eating all the other plants in your landscaping or garden. It would be one thing if there existed a plant that emitted some smell that made deer stay away. But that just isn’t the case.

The only way deer-proof plants could possibly work is if you had nothing but deer-proof plants on your property and there was always ample food sources nearby for the deer to eat.

Electric Shocks Work Only When Your Entire Property Can Be Enclosed with Fencing

When a deer receives a static shock, it startles them. They associate this unpleasant event with the area in which it occurred. By this, they are conditioned to stay away.

Most people give up on the idea of using electric shocks because fencing their entire property isn’t realistic. However, they make electronic deer repellents that take advantage of this successful (and humane) form of conditioning without requiring the fencing.

With an electronic deer repellent, you place the unit in your yard, along with a short-range attractant. Only deer in the area will be drawn over to the device. Once there, they sniff it to investigate. At the moment of contact they receive a harmless, yet startling, static shock. The static shock will send them running. Out of fear, they will keep away from the area.

For larger area protection, you can install several units. Another plus to electronic deer repellent is the option to move the protection from location to location as needed. And they don’t affect the aesthetics of your landscaping

Homemade Concoctions Work

While people may swear by homemade concoctions, they don’t work well. Firstly, for adequate protection, they need to be reapplied often, every couple of days. Secondly, they are messy.

Commercial deer repellent is available based on the idea behind the rotten egg and pepper mixture. However, the formula is long lasting and dries odorless to humans. It is also less time-consuming to use since all you need to do is spray it.

Still, organic deer repellent products are just as friendly to the environment and as effective, if not more, than the chemically based repellents. And should you need rabbit repellent, which is often the case if you’re suffering from deer damage, the spray will work on rabbits as well.

Guest post by Michelle Anderson. With interests in humane animal control, she blogs about deer repellent and how to safely use groundhog traps.

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Squirrel

Depending on your situation squirrels can be fun to watch or very annoying to deal with. They may be entertaining and allow you to feed them, or they can be pests you would rather never have to see. If they are pests to you, using squirrel repellent might be one of the fastest ways to deal with them.

If you love bird watching or just hate having squirrels in your yard because of damage they can cause, you are not alone. They have been known to destroy plants, gardens, even homes and garages if left to do whatever they choose. This can turn them from cute to annoying very quickly.

Luckily for you there are several options for squirrel repellent you can choose from to keep them at bay. There are advantages for using each kind. But for better protection, use several different squirrel repellents at the same time.

Types of Squirrel Repellents

• Sprays: One of the fastest ways to get rid of them is with a spray. There are several sprays on the market but you should choose one that is safe for children, pets and plants if you want to continue using that area of your yard.

The most effective squirrel repellent spray works by emitting an odor and taste. Once the animal comes in contact with the treated area, either by smelling, touching or tasting, they want to leave quickly are discouraged from coming back. The sensation created is similar to if we put hot sauce on our tongue. When you choose a spray, pick one that deters several different kinds of nuisance animals … you’ll get more bang for your buck! Many sprays work for several species. For example, a rabbit repellent can work as a deer repellent.

• Sprinklers: Motion detector sprinklers are a great safe way to keep animals out of your yard. How it works is they have an infrared sensor that picks up movement in that area of the yard. When the movement is detected, it shoots water in the direction of the movement. Additionally the noise it makes, along with the spray, scares the animal away. Your own pets may or may not get used to the noise and motion, but can stay out of the way of the water. This motion detector will scare off dogs, cats, squirrels, rabbits, and other pests.
• Live Traps: If you are interested in removing squirrels from your property without harming them, this option is for you. Traps allow you to still keep them alive, but get rid of them from your yard. You do have to have an area to release them. You’ll need permission from both the owner and the law, so do your research before you set your trap.

These are the most common squirrel repellents and they work amazingly well. If squirrels are bothering your backyard, consider employing several of these tactics for better results.

Post by guest blogger Mary Green, a writer who enjoys blogging about humane animal control, including squirrel repellent and deer repellent.

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You can’t put a price on time with your family, and camping is one way to get in plenty of time with your kids while they’re growing up so fast. These five essential tips for camping with kids will help you make the most of your time together while you camp! Read the rest of this entry

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The cost of water is rising and it shows no signs of reversing course. It’s a trend that is likely to spread nationwide as water becomes scarcer and more expensive to find, deliver and manage. From appliances to plumbing fixtures, landscape irrigation and graywater recycling, there are proven techniques and technologies that can significantly reduce your water use, especially in a new house where they can be optimized in the home’s design and construction. And, those solutions are available and generally affordable – and often don’t require you to sacrifice convenience or make significant lifestyle changes. As you search for a new, resource efficient home consider the following tips to conserve water.

Attack the bath

The bathrooms of your new home are the best places to save water. Baths, faucets, toilets, showers all combine to consume more than 40% of the water you use daily, and there are a wealth of product options to reduce that use.

Toilets are the biggest culprits, but recent updates to national Green building codes require that they use only 1.28 gallons per flush, a 20% reduction from earlier standards. If you are worried about performance, rest assured that current testing and certification of today’s low flow toilets include their ability to flush waste away the first time to retain the water saving benefits. If you are really looking to save water, and your budget allows, consider dual flush toilets. Activated by a pair of buttons at the top of the tank, these units use only .8 gallons per flush for liquid waste and 1.6 gallons per flush for solid waste.

Stop wasting time

Lag time is the time it takes hot water to reach a faucet or shower, resulting in hundreds of gallons of water a year simply going down the drain. It is arguably the number one consumer of indoor water, and it provides absolutely no value to you and your family. A hot water recirculation system can all but eliminate lag time. A small pump attached to the hot water pipes which connect the water heater to faucets and showers throughout your home. The pump quickly replaces the cold standing water in the pipes with hot water, delivering it in seconds instead of minutes.

Location

Placing your home water heater in a centralized location within the floor plan can help boost efficiency. Such designs shorten the distances from the water heater to various hot water using faucets and appliances in the house. Not only is less water being used [and lag time reduced] but the energy needed to heat the water also declines.

Recycle what you can

graywater recycling systems collect water from showers, faucets, tubs and perhaps your clothes washer and air conditioner, filter out any contaminants, and use it for your toilets. Usually the water in the tank and board looks fresh giving no indication that it is recycled.

Look outside

Nearly 60% of residential water demand is for landscape irrigation and more specifically for turf grass. But unlike low flow bathroom fixtures, the solutions to reduce that use is more complicated and requires a greater commitment to water efficiency. The latest water saving guidelines, namely the EPA‘s water sense program, effectively addresses the wide range of outdoor water uses to comprehensively reduce consumption. The first area to address is your landscaping plan. In addition to recommending far less turf area [no more than 40% of the total size] the water sense guidelines also recommend using turf, shrub and tree species that are native to the region; as such, they are better able to survive seasonal rain water fluctuation instead of a constant stream of irrigation water from the municipal water supply.
Shrubs and trees – ideally grouped together by similar water needs and mulch to retain the moisture should be irrigated with a drip system that puts water at the base of the plants, where it can be effective at low volumes.

A water wise turf irrigation plan uses low flow, rotating sprinkler heads that are designed to limit the amount of water that over sprays onto sidewalks, driveways and other non-landscaped areas.

Sprinkler heads and drip systems should be on a timer to activate in the early morning when evaporation will be limited; ideally, the timer would include a moisture sensor that overrides the schedule if there’s been recent rainfall and the ground is already moist.

The water Sense guidelines also discourage the use of water for cleaning driveways or operating fountains and other water features. In addition, they discourage leaving pools and spas uncovered and exposed to evaporation – all in the name of water conservation.

Seeing how much water you use in real time can be an impactful piece of information that may inspire you to reduce your use. These are just some of the water saving ideas that can help you to reduce you overall water consumption.

This is a guest post from My Garden Hammock a site dedicated to the space outside you home and how you can use garden hammocks to make it an extension of you home

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If you are looking for ways to save money in this tough economy, consider making your home more green, which will reduce your energy consumption and bills over time. There are many more benefits to going green, but saving money and energy are two ways in which going green makes you more responsible overall. Below are some ways to save money and energy by making your home more green.

Efficient Appliances
If you have an older set of kitchen and other appliances, they could be draining your energy and costing you lots of money each month when the power bill comes. Replacing these with newer, more efficient appliances can not only reduce your electric bill, but also put money in your pocket in the form of rebates from the electric utility in your area or from other groups promoting energy efficiency. Do some research in your area to see what rebates, tax incentives, or other benefits you may get from replacing your older appliances with newer ones.

Insulation & Seals
Many homes are under insulated, which leads to higher bills because hot or cool air escapes from your home. Installing insulation can help keep your home a comfortable temperature without making your air conditioner or heater work overtime, in turn, saving you money. Many utilities conduct free home inspections to see if you have adequate insulation and sealant around your windows and doors. Look at your electric utility’s website to see if they offer the same service, and take full advantage of it.

Turn It Off
When no one is home, there is no reason to have all of your appliances draining energy. Making a conscious effort to unplug or turn off lights, appliances, ceiling fans, and other energy consumers can help lower your bills. This will also make your home more green.

Solar
Where it makes sense, consider installing solar panels to power non-essential parts of your home. For example, if you have a garage workshop or other non-essential power consumers, installing a solar panel to power that portion of your home, you will save money that you would otherwise owe the electric utility company in your area. Solar is one way to really go green, though it is not a fully reliable source of energy every hour of every day.

As you can see, there are many ways to go green and save money while you do it. Following a few of these tips will help you reduce your carbon footprint while saving your family money that can be spent elsewhere on fun vacations or other necessities. Go Green!

Searching through the phonebook and calling each insurance company to get an insurance quote or to get cheap insurance Canada for your vehicle is very time-consuming and tedious. Nowadays, using the internet to do a quote comparison at Kanetix.ca is the most efficient way to see which insurance companies offer the cheapest quotes for your particular vehicle and driving records.

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