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Possums are cute little animals that can be found all across the country. In fact, there are 27 different types of possums and gliders in Australia, including some endangered species. And if you’ve never encountered one in your garden, you might even wonder why anyone would want a possum deterrent.
Unfortunately, some of these cuddly-looking creatures are known to wreak havoc around homes – scavenging from bins, knocking over pots, eating plants and leaving droppings everywhere.
They can also be very noisy, especially brushtail possums which, along with ringtails, are two of the most common in residential areas.
Possums are protected as native animals, so it’s illegal to trap, catch or relocate them without the relevant permit or permission from your state or local council.
Fortunately there are other ways to protect your garden, including these five possum deterrent strategies anyone can use.
5 simple and effective possum deterrent strategies for your garden
1. Netting and wire
Bird netting can deter possums as they cannot climb it, which makes it a good choice for putting up around your favourite plants. But it’s worth noting possums can break through netting, so in some cases you may need to use wire. You can also stop possums from digging underneath wire by putting it about 30 centimetres into the ground.
2. LED lights
“We’d tried everything to stop possums eating the plants on our front deck, which they accessed via a large lilli pilli. Chicken wire cages over the pots were successful but unsightly. But since we put up some solar LED bud lights in the garden, we haven’t seen a possum at all and the lights look very pretty at night,” one reader wrote.
3. Homemade stink bombs
This is a simple and very effective possum deterrent, according to the book The 1-Minute Gardener. Simply grab an old sock and fill it with a handful of blood and bone fertiliser. Then, identify the possum’s main point of entry to your garden and secure your stink bomb to block their path.
“The only time-tested method to protect a [garden] patch is by preventing access to it,” write authors Fabian Capomolla and Mat Pember.
4. Tea-based deterrent
Lapsang Souchong tea has a strong, smoky scent that possums don’t like it at all. To use it as a deterrent, add four heaped tablespoons of Lapsang Souchong to two litres of boiled water. Leave it to steep and cool, then transfer it to a spray bottle and spray on affected areas in your garden. Repeat every two weeks, and after it rains, and the possums should eventually get the idea.
5. Fish oil
Another reader came up with a simple way to stop possums eating their rose shoots using fish oil.
“Add about half a cup of oil to one litre of water and spray it on the shoots. It won’t harm the roses but the possums hate the smell. Naturally, you’ll have to put more on after it rains but it works a treat and is very cheap.”
6. Repellent powders and sprays
You can also get store-bought powders and sprays designed to repel possums and other animals. This includes D-TER Animal and Bird Deterrent and Yates Possum Repellent Spray, which was developed based on research from the University of Melbourne. These types of products can be convenient because you don’t have to make anything yourself, but keep in mind that you may need to use a few strategies to make sure possums stay away from your garden. Especially if you have lots of tasty fruit and veg growing.
What do possums eat?
The natural diet of possums is gumtree leaves, but they are known to be fond of eating new plant growth, fruit on fruit trees and many flowers, like camellias, roses, gardenias, and fuchsias.
They also can be found rummaging around in compost bins and often snack on native and exotic garden plants, so keeping your garden possum-free is important.
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