Something Green
The little boy picked up a slick piece of green gunk out of the wet dirt. It mushed in his hands and oozed around his fingers.
A burst of strong smells came out. The father looked around and saw the source. What in the world was this old woman doing to her yard?
The Simple Life
The Gilbert family lived on one side of the property line.
It was a pretty normal life – work, their son’s school and sports activities, and simple demands of life. Even their backyard was straight grass so they could play soccer. It was nothing compared to the woman that lived beside them.
Green Thumb
The old woman was quiet. There wasn’t much interaction between them, but nothing out of spite or rudeness – just different lives.
Her retirement seemed to revolve around here flowerbeds and gardens. She could be seen out there often, pulling weeds in the sun. Other than that, there were frequent visitors that excited the family.
New Friends
Deer would make regular appearances during the evening, their eyes reflecting the porch lights. Sometimes they would wander close by in the early morning, taking each step carefully but gracefully.
Sometimes you would see a baby munching on the grass. One day, while mowing the lawn, the dad noticed something strange.
It was a new smell. Like clover and peat mixed with harsh chemicals.
It pricked at their noses and tugged at their brains. It was so familiar but none of them could put their fingers on the scent. Whatever it was, it would sometimes be a faint whiff or if the wind picked up, much stronger.
What's That?
Then the rain came. The summer thunderstorm filled their property with puddles and small streams.
The little boy played in the drops, dragged the stick around to make new mini-rivers. From inside the house, you could suddenly hear, “Mom! Dad! Come out here! Look at this!” the dad grabbed his coat and ran outside.
Oil Rainbows
The boy was standing in a puddle of milky colored water.
Bubbles popped up as the boy stomped with glee, and the iridescent sheen of oils flowed around them. “Get out of that,” the dad said. He looked around and noticed the source of the strange liquid was coming from the old lady’s garden.
Senile Neighbor?
The dad sent his son inside to clean off the sticky substance and immediately went over to the old woman’s house.
He pounded on the door. What was this crazy woman doing? Had she gone senile? She opened the door. “What the hell did you put in your yard?” She looked at him, confused.
Not What You Think
He explained what was happening, but with each sentence, her smile grew. By the end, her wrinkled grin made him want to yell. This was serious.
“Your son is perfectly fine,” she said. She reached down into a bag beside the door and handed him a small box. He stared at the revelation, speechless.
Only Soap
It was a box of soap. The brand logo also triggered the realization of why the smell had been so familiar.
His wife kept a bar of it in the laundry room. The old woman went on to explain that the deer had been eating her garden and soap kept them away. But how?
Keep Critters Away
It boils down to scent.
Many animals can be repelled from lawns, flower beds, gardens, and fruit trees by a strong smell (coyote urine is sometimes used, but has a terrible scent to humans too). Deer are particularly affected. Which kind is best?
Chunks Of Spring
Irish Spring! Yep, the mint green bar that was the staple of many households in the past.
Some say that it is one of the only brands that work. It’s also the go-to for many gardeners because they can keep pests away without hurting them. How do you use it?
Totally DIY
It’s quite simple. Begin by cutting up a bar into smaller pieces.
You can poke a hole through the center and put a string loop around it, wrap it in the vegetable mesh bags you get from the grocery store, or just use normal fabric to make a little baggie. Then…
Soap Stakes
Hang or tie them to trunks, wooden stakes, vine cages, etc. and close to what you whatever vegetation you want to save.
When moisture or humidity has rinsed most of it away, just add a new chunk. It’s a hack that most people swear by. But there’s an even more natural way of keeping animals away.
Hot Stuff
First, there are bottled eco-options.
The other way, which is more time consuming, is putting certain plants next to their “companions” – these will naturally keep away certain bugs. Tabasco sauce and cayenne pepper spray is another alternative (but more aggressive). It turns out, the old lady wasn’t crazy. She was quite clever.