Martens in the garden? Three gentle ways to keep them away!

Martens in the garden? Three gentle ways to keep them away!

Autumn not only brings colorful leaves, but also the unpleasant stone martens that search for warm hiding places in the garden. However, these small, shy animals can cause significant damage, especially to power lines, insulation material and by leaving behind feces and urine. Once the marten establishes itself, it can have costly consequences, as it causes millions of euros in damage every year in Germany. Therefore, precautions against these rodents are more important than ever, because martens are subject to German hunting law and catching or killing them without a hunting license is prohibited. This is where gentle methods of expulsion come into play.

The three most effective methods for keeping martens away from your own green space are quickly explained. First, using smell as a natural deterrent is a proven technique. Martens react negatively to various scents, including vinegar, animal urine, and special anti-marten sprays. To enhance this effect, cloths soaked in vinegar or dog hair can be placed in nylon stockings near the marten hiding places. Since the smells disappear quickly, you should add more regularly to keep the martens at a distance.

Technical solutions and structural measures

Another effective method is the combination of light and sound. Martens are very shy of light and shy away from loud noises. The use of motion detectors with LED lights and ultrasound devices can work wonders here. Using a battery-operated radio to disturb the marten's sleep has also proven to be helpful. In addition to these psychological tricks, it is also important to take structural measures. All potential access points, such as roof hatches and vents, should be sealed with close-meshed wire mesh. It makes sense to make sure that there are no more animals in the hiding place before closing the entrances.

But precaution doesn’t stop there. After driving away, all traces of the marten should be thoroughly removed - this includes feces, urine and leftover food. Enzyme cleaners can help neutralize the odor markings and deter new martens. The key to success lies in the combination of these methods - odor deterrence, light and noise disturbances as well as structural measures.

Martens and their effects

The martens are not only garden dwellers, but also feared guests in residential buildings. They like to raid attics at night and cause considerable nuisance with their noise and disorder in the house. It becomes particularly critical when martens enter houses through small holes (from 5 cm): Undiscovered access points can lead to water damage to the building structure.

As a further preventive measure, it is recommended to minimize the food sources for these little animals. This includes sealing entrances and reducing leftover food in the garden. For the garden lovers among you, natural defense methods such as planting lavender or eucalyptus also make sense. The combination of structural and natural strategies is the best protection.

As you can see, marten protection is an important matter that cannot wait. Prevention is better than cure - and with these tips you have a good chance of keeping uninvited guests away from your own green space.

For further information, please use the following links: Merkur, Patronus, and Wikipedia.