Are there small, shallow holes dug into your garden soil? Do you find fruits and vegetables that look like half-eaten on the floor? Have the bulbs you had just planted been dug up? If you answered yes to any (or all) of these questions, it’s probably because of the squirrels. Their search for food is in full swing in autumn when they are preparing for winter. In spring, they will return, making the most of the tender fruits of new growth and ripening, when nuts and seeds are limited.
While many of us enjoy seeing squirrels, they can be a serious problem in the garden, causing extensive damage, and terrifying bird feeders. If you’re looking for ways to keep them out of your garden, here are some solutions to try:
Hide or relocate food: You have to be diligent in cleaning fallen nuts, acorns and berries. Make the process faster and easier with a handy nut picker or rake. These food sources can be relocated to an area where squirrels are welcome, such as a back corner of the yard. Also, keep the lids of trash cans tightly closed.
Scare them away: Most dogs love to chase squirrels. Poles in the squirrel watch patrol and let them scare them. You can also dissuade them with hot pepper spray. There are many recipes for homemade squirrel repellent sprays, as well as some that can be purchased. Most sprays have a combination of cayenne and other hot peppers.
Apply a dry repellent: Like the previous pepper sprays, a combination of cayenne pepper, paprika and crushed red peppers can be sprinkled on plants, in flower pots and even mixed with bird seeds (again, birds will not mind). You can also try white pepper, black pepper or garlic.
Create a barrier: Use nets on bushes with fruits or berries, protect ground crops with row covers, create an enclosure with barnyard wire or even build a greenhouse to protect tempting treats from squirrels. Any fence should be buried a minimum of 30 cm. in the ground to prevent squirrels from digging underneath.
Use allied plants: Deterring squirrels by surrounding your plot with plant varieties is a good idea, their nose does not like smells such as capuchins, marigolds, mint or mustard. You can also try imperial crown bulbs (Fritillaria), but it is recommended to plant them away from inhabited areas such as patios or porches due to their strong skunk smell.
Covers the ground: Squirrels don’t particularly like the feeling of mulch under their feet, so add it to garden soils and especially newly planted bulbs to help hide the aroma of fresh bulbs. You can also try placing aluminum foil.
Give them their own food: Although it is a risky method, as this can end up attracting more squirrels, giving them food could be an option. If you have a large area, give them their own feeding ground that is well away from your garden area. Use a squirrel feeder to feed them their own sunflower, peanut, and corn seeds. Some gardeners go so far as to plant extra tomatoes to keep them satisfied and away from their cultivation.
Give them to drink: If squirrels are eating your tomatoes or other fruits or vegetables, they will surely be thirsty. Theresa Rooney, author of the book “The Guide to Humane Critter Control” says: “During the growing season, provide squirrels with a dish of fresh water… And the squirrels will probably leave those tomatoes for you to harvest.”
And the pitfalls: Although squirrel traps may sound like a good idea, especially if you want them to disappear radically, they are not a sustainable solution, so try to apply other less aggressive methods such as those discussed above.