As spring begins this month, many people will get back into gardening and planting gorgeous flowers and tasty vegetables. However, all their hard work can go down the drain when pigeons enter gardens as they will damage plants to forage for food. Gardening expert Adeel ul-haq noted: “Pigeon droppings are highly acidic and can corrode everything from paint to metal surfaces in your garden, not only this, these droppings can then attract other pests such as rats which can cause further damage to your home.”

With pigeon breeding season upon us in the UK, many will not want these pests in gardens that can cause damage and spread disease; for this reason, an expert has shared their best methods for deterring pigeons from taking over your space. To end this, gardeners are urged to put tin foil in their garden as a cheap and effective deterrent.

Getting rid of pigeons is difficult, but knowing how pigeons work gives you a better chance of removing them.  

Adeel instructed, “First, notice where the pigeons spend most of their time in your garden and start there. It could be around the bird bath, windowsills, or even a garden bench.”

Pigeons prefer flat surfaces, so you can use spike strips to deter them from perching. However, these can make your garden look unsightly and can be expensive. 

For a “cheaper and more aesthetic option”, you can use tin foil.  The expert said: “All you need to do is scrunch up some balls of tin foil and dangle them on a piece of string, when the light then hits this foil it reflects and scares the pigeons away.”

By adding tin foil balls to your garden, you are creating a deterrent that moves around a lot and is eye-catching. This mimics the effect of rapid motion, and to pigeons, this makes them think that a predator is nearby.   

Pigeons' eyes are also sensitive to the sun, so using a shiny, reflective surface can irritate them and make them leave your garden.

Adeel added: “Pigeons are creatures of habit, and if they think that your garden is a safe space for them, they will return often.

“The best way to keep pigeons out of your garden is to make it as unwelcoming as possible for them without hurting them, and a cheap way of doing so is using a roll of foil from the supermarket.”

Pest control experts at Northwest Exterminating also recommend using tin foil in the garden but in a different way.

They said: “You can place strips of foil under the surface of the dirt or around any plants they are bothering. Birds don’t like the feel of the foil under their beaks and will stay away.”