Things You'll Need
Water
Ammonia
Spray bottle
Drip line
Face mask
Rubber gloves
Rabbits and squirrels chew on gardeners' drip lines frequently to get at the water inside the plastic. While drip lines are a good means of watering your garden beds, they are also very easy to damage, and gardeners need the lines to be intact to function properly. There are several potential methods of keeping away the little mammals, but the most effective and immediate is to use ammonia. Although it can damage their senses if the little creatures actually consume it, most animals are put off by the mere smell of ammonia, meaning they will never get at the drip line in the first place.
Step 1
Put on the face mask and the rubber gloves. They will afford protection against the same smells that will keep the little animals off your drip lines.
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Step 2
Pour ammonia into a spray bottle. Fill the bottle only halfway with ammonia, and fill the rest of the way with water.
Step 3
Lay out the drip lines side by side on a wide, flat area such as a lawn or garden path. Make sure you have enough room to move around it.
Step 4
Spray the drip lines liberally with the ammonia, starting at one end and working your way down the drip lines. Your drip lines are now animal-teeth-proofed.
Step 5
Replace the drip line through your garden as you would normally place it and hook it into your hose system.
Tip
You may have to repeat the spraying process as frequently as once a month if you use your drip lines regularly.
Warning
Ammonia will not cause any harm to the plants around the drip lines, but if you consume it, it may cause medical problems if consumed by a human. Avoid sniffing it or getting it in your eyes.
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