Even if you might have a lovely garden, all your work suddenly seems to be in vain. Your flowers and vegetables are being devoured by groundhogs. Woodchucks and whistle pigs are other names for groundhogs.
They are compulsive eaters. They can vanish your veggie and flower-filled garden in a matter of minutes.
Groundhogs are related to squirrels. Approximate weights are 4 and 14 pounds. They feed, swim, hibernate, and dig burrows. They have grey-brown fur, curled claws, and short, powerful legs.
Alfalfa, clover, peas, beans, lettuce, broccoli, plantains, and soybeans are some of their favorite foods. Groundhogs often eat in the morning and late in the day. You must exterminate them in order to safeguard your garden.
Irish spring soap to repel groundhogs
Groundhogs can be deterred with Irish Spring soap. Although this soap was made for commercial usage as a body deodorant, it has also been utilized as a plant repellent because of its distinctive scent. It can be used on animals including mice, rabbits, and deer but not insects.
Table of Contents
Glycerin, citric acid, and sodium chloride are the major components of Irish spring soap. These components can function as repellents because,
Sodium Chloride:
Sodium chloride has been used for a long time to help repel insects. But for insects, salt can serve as both a poison and a source of energy. For instance, salt has little effect on ants.
Cockroaches, spiders, termites, and fleas are all said to be and used to be repulsed by Irish spring.
Citric Acid:
Irish spring has a zesty smell thanks to citrus acids. Strong citrus aroma makes the soap stand out in particular. In addition to the citrus aroma, it has a woody undertone. Insect repellents and Irish Spring soap both include citric acid.
Coconut Acid:
Numerous studies indicate that the coconut oil used in insect repellents also includes coconut acids, which are currently employed to prevent disease. Other repellents contain coconut acid, which has been shown in studies to be effective. Insects like bed bugs are repelled by the subacid in coconut acids such lauric acid, caprylic acid, and capric acid.
Glycerin:
An organic fat and oil compound called glycerin helps Irish Spring soaps’ insect repellant components last longer. Glycerin makes sodium chloride last longer.
Glycerin is a common ingredient in insect repellents, so it should come as no surprise that Irish Spring soap also works to keep insects away.
Many consumers of Irish Spring soap assert that it has a persistent aroma that can be utilized to deter flies.
It just so happens that these ingredients are also included in insect repellents, even though the Colgate-Palmolive business didn’t intend for Irish Spring soap to also serve as an insect repellent.
There is more to the smell, including the ingredients utilized to make this soap, including glycerin, acids, and sodium chloride. Additionally, groundhogs do not like the smell of lemon, mint, or rosemary, thus Irish Spring soap can be used as a repellent.
Does Irish soap hurt groundhogs?
Groundhogs are repelled by Irish spring soap. Their aversion is caused by the smell. Groundhogs loathe the smell of lavender, people, rosemary, thyme, basil, cayenne pepper, oregano, garlic, and other strong, spicy, citrus, lemon, and minty scents.
The groundhogs are not always harmed by the stench. They stay away because of the strong stench.
Many gardeners have been astounded and amazed by Irish Spring soap’s capacity to keep insect pests away from their plants when using it in the garden.
Your favorite plants will be dug up by groundhogs, who also like destroying your garden by munching on flower bulbs and other leaves. By grating some Irish Spring soap around your plants, you may quickly and easily safeguard your landscape.
How effective is Irish soap in repelling groundhogs?
It is well known that Irish soap works wonders to keep groundhogs away. Irish Spring soaps are made with elements that can deter wildlife including deer, groundhogs, squirrels, and more. However, Irish Spring soap is ineffective against insects.
Groundhogs stay away from places with Irish Spring soap because they don’t appreciate its zingy scent. The pungent aroma serves as a deterrent.
Simply cut the soap into pieces and scatter them throughout your garden in various locations. Additionally, you can surround the plants with a barrier made of grated soap and sprinkles.
Irish Spring soap is not supported by research or statistics when used as a repellant. This is merely a home cure that people have used for years with success. There are additional deterrents that can deter groundhogs.
How to get rid of groundhogs with Irish soap?
With an Irish spring soap bar, there are a few simple actions you can take to keep groundhogs out of your garden. There are 2 techniques.
Irish soap pouch:
You will need Irish Spring soap bars, a knife, little pouches, wooden stakes, and a staple to finish the task. In the absence of small pouches, cheesecloth and strings can be used. The procedure entails,
- First you need to slice the Irish Spring soap bar into 1/2-inch cubes with a knife. This not an exact measurement. All you need to do is cut your soap bar in small pieces to spread around your garden.
- Now take a drawstring pouch and put two pieces of soap in it to make the pouch.
- Now tightly pull the string and tie a knot to secure the soap pieces into the pouch.
- Now take wooden stakes and staple. Staple the pouch to the each end.
- Drive the opposite end 6 inches into the ground. Make sure that is in 5 to 10-foot around your garden.
- Lay some of the drawstring pouches under and around the vegetation. This will make a great solution.
- Concentrate stakes in areas with thick vegetation or in spots. This will help to deter the pests.
- Monitor the for signs of damaged or eaten plants by groundhogs.
Shredded Irish soap:
In this method, you need Irish Spring soap bars and a grater. You can follow such steps,
- Purchase Irish Spring soap bars from store or online.
- Now you can use your everyday grater from kitchen or purchase a drug store one.
- Grade the soap.
- Now collect all the grated soap into a container
- Sprinkle the soap around your plant in a particular shape such as, circle or square to create a barrier
You can take the actions listed here. Please keep in mind that the quantity of Irish Spring soap you will need to repel pests will vary depending on the size of your garden and the groundhog population.
What are the other good deterrents for groundhogs?
There are various other options to deter groundhogs. Let’s get to know them.
Various Scents:
Some odors are repulsive to groundhogs. They dislike the aromas of lavender, cayenne, and garlic. You can sprinkle a paste made of minced garlic over the areas you want groundhogs to stay away from.
Lavender smells wonderful to you, but the groundhog detests it. To use lavender as a repellant and enjoy the sweet smell, plant it with other plants.
Additionally, you can suggest sprinkling cayenne pepper near the groundhogs’ burrows and reapplying after it rains or when it is windy. Additionally, basil, chives, lemon balm, mint, sage, thyme, rosemary, and oregano are offensive to groundhogs’ noses.
Epsom Salts:
Epsom salts can be scattered close to or around burrow entrances or exits or placed close to the plants in a tin pie plate filled with the salts. In the event of rain, you must replace it.
Kitty Litter:
One of the den holes should have utilized cat litter surrounded by other holes left for departure. The groundhogs will believe a predator is nearby if they are around cat litter.
Castor Oil:
When they flow around the burrow tunnels in search of food and go outside, keep searching. When they are not there and they can escape the area due to the fragrance, you must pour the oil.
Human Hair Clippings:
Gather hair scraps from your neighborhood barber or hairdresser and place them in a mesh bag. Attach it to a stake that is close to the groundhog’s home. Human odors are repulsive to groundhogs.
Final Thoughts
Irish Spring soap can deter groundhogs from your property. The pungent scent serves as a deterrent. To create a barrier around your garden, you must scatter the soap. You may also use additional repellents like castor oil, lavender, garlic, human hair clippings.