If you’re curious about how to keep squirrels out of the garden, you’ve come to the right place.
Squirrels are cute, bushy-tailed critters who can entertain us when we’re at the park or sitting in our backyard. But they can be quite a nuisance to your garden! They often seek out juicy fruits and veggies or are attracted to the sweet aroma of your flowers. Sometimes, they even just want to make a mess.
Not sure if it’s squirrels that are messing up your garden? No matter what you have in your garden or how many squirrels you may have, we have compiled some essential tips to protect your garden from squirrels.
What Attracts Squirrels to the Garden?
A squirrel’s curiosity and mischievousness are almost unmatched especially when it comes to seeking out places rich with food sources.
If your garden includes lots of juicy fruits and vegetables such as squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, apples, strawberries, etc., then squirrels will most likely find their way over to that feast.
Normally during dry seasons, these critters are more likely to seek out your fruit and vegetable supply since they are lacking that hydration.
In addition to seeking out hydration and tasty produce, squirrels also have a keen sense of smell. In other words, those spring bulbs, fresh produce, and flowers are attracting these animals.
Finally, if you tend to have a lot of nuts and seeds littering your yard, squirrels will come in and forage, causing them to raid your trees and gardens.
Sometimes, however, squirrels just want to be a bit destructive. Often, there are times where squirrels dig holes in planters and pots without touching anything. Or, they take just one bite out of a tomato and leave it to rot in the garden bed.
Whatever the reason for a squirrel’s visit, we have compiled a guide addressing how to keep squirrels from digging in flower pots and messing up your garden.
How Do You Stop Squirrels From Eating Your Garden?
Your fruit and vegetable harvest is valuable, but how do you protect it from bushy-tailed critters like squirrels? Take a look at some ways to protect your garden produce and flora.
Individually Wrap Your Produce
If you want to go the extra mile to protect your fruits and vegetables, you might want to consider individually wrapping your produce. In other words, purchasing bird netting will properly protect your fragile, still-growing food without jeopardizing its growing process.
Plastic Netting or Mulch
Plastic netting or mulch creates an irritating texture for a squirrel’s feet. They don’t like to feel unnatural terrain that much. These two materials can be placed around your flowers or produce to help deter the critters from eating your garden.
Gravel
Graven is another preventative measure to protect your garden. This material works similarly to plastic netting and mulch in that it creates an uneven, shifting foundation for squirrels to walk on. They will most likely avoid areas with loose gravel.
Create an Enclosure
You can create an enclosure around your garden from all sorts of materials. For example, you can situate chicken wire or floating row covers around your plants to keep squirrels out.
Greenhouse
A greenhouse is probably the most effective method of deterring squirrels from eating your garden. Greenhouses give you the ability to completely seal off your plants if you desire, thus securing your plants and keeping the squirrels out.
A Squirrel Feeding/Watering Station
Although this method is controversial, it still might be one that you want to try. Squirrels go crazy for different nuts and seeds like sunflower seeds or even berries. Setting up a feeding station at the far corner of your yard (far away from your garden) might distract the squirrels on their way in.
Additionally, as mentioned prior, squirrels seek out some extra liquid during dry seasons. Placing a water dish near that food source might do the trick as well. However, providing these extra sources of food for the squirrels might end up attracting more, so make sure you are monitoring squirrel activity closely.
What Do Squirrels Hate the Most?
Here are some best ways to repel squirrels:
Netting to Deter Squirrels From Garden
If you’re looking for what to put around plants to keep squirrels away, netting will most likely do the trick at keeping squirrels out of fruit trees and vegetable gardens. Different netting materials create dissatisfactory textures for squirrels. Most often, they will get frustrated and leave if presented with various netting.
Some popular netting options to consider are the following:
- Chicken wire
- Hardwire cloth
- Plastic bird netting
- Summer weight row covers
- Floating row covers
With any of these netting options, it is imperative to remember to bury the netting deep into the ground. Squirrels have the ability to dig and burrow, so securing these materials in a way that discourages squirrels from digging is important.
Garden Cage to Keep Squirrels out of Your Vegetable Garden
Garden cages, like greenhouses, are more effective at keeping critters out of your harvest. There are many different sizes of garden cages to choose from depending on your plant height and width.
Most larger cages are zip-ups, meaning that the enclosure flap opens and closes through a zipper. If this is the case, make sure that the zipper is firmly locked and hasn’t broken off to prevent the flap from opening.
There are smaller, pop-up options for smaller crops. If this is the case, make sure the small cage is firmly secured on the ground to discourage squirrels from digging or knocking it over.
Animal Urine
A common theme among squirrel deterrents is strong smells. Deer, coyote, or other wild animal urine effectively keeps squirrels far away from your yard. We will cover more smells that squirrels hate later, but for now, let’s take a look at animal urine.
Squirrel noses are extremely sensitive, so pungent smells (although not as pungent to our noses) like deer urine makes them turn up their noses. Predator urine is most effective as it warns squirrels of nearby danger.
Reflective Surfaces
Aluminum foil is perfect for keeping squirrels out of your garden pots and containers. Squirrels hate reflective surfaces. To employ the use of aluminum foil in your garden, simply place a sheet or two over the soil of your potted plants (making a hole for your plant to poke through) and poke small holes throughout the surface for watering.
Squirrel Fence Spikes
Placing fence spikes on the fence around your garden or your yard, in general, will help deter these critters. Make sure to look for spikes that are situated close together. Squirrels are incredibly agile, smart creatures and will find a way around the spikes if there is room for them to step.
Electronic Devices
Common electronic devices that deter critters usually trigger various sounds or flashing lights. For example, there are certain devices that emit ultrasonic sound waves to scare squirrels off. Additionally, there are devices that trigger flashing lights or mimic the eyes of natural predators. I would suggest ultrasonic soundwave devices as they are more effective during the day as well as at night.
Keeping Squirrels Out of Garden Naturally
Not a fan of electronic devices or crude barriers around your garden? No worries! Here are some natural alternatives for squirrel deterrents.
Impalpable Bulbs
Squirrels hate bitterness! Planting freshly planted bulbs such as daffodils, snowdrops, ornamental alliums, or fritillaria will have the squirrels turning away from your garden. These bulbs also have a specific smell that turns the squirrels’ noses up. Planting these squirrel repellent plants around and throughout your other plants will keep the squirrels away.
Plant Borders
Similar to the bulbs listed above, you can create a natural border that acts as a wall for the squirrels. Border plants such as mustard or marigolds are beautiful natural alternatives due to their fragrance.
Cleaning Up Bulb & Nut Debris
An overlooked practice within the garden is not picking up fallen nuts, seeds, or bulb debris around the yard. When it comes to scraps of spring bulbs, squirrels smell them on the soil and are attracted to your garden. Therefore, try to prevent setting these spring bulbs directly on the soil when you’re planting them.
If nuts and seeds are left on the ground, squirrels will have a field day of munching and eating in your garden. Although not the most fun method, it’s important to keep your garden clear of this debris.
Trim Tree Limbs
Squirrels have incredible jump height and distance. If you want to avoid squirrels getting to your standing bird feeders, jumping on your roof, or having easier access to your garden, trim your tree limbs back. Alternatively, you can keep some of your garden beds or bird feeders at least 8-10 feet away from your trees.
Avoid Placing Bird Feeders by Tress & Your Roof
As mentioned previously, squirrels can jump high and far. If you have bird feeders in your backyard, avoid placing them in your trees, close to your trees, or close to your roof. To estimate squirrel-proof your setup, keep the feeder 8-10 feet away from your roof or tree limbs and 5-6 feet off the ground (hanging bird feeder).
See more: How to keep squirrels off bird feeders
Cats, Dogs, Hawks, or Owls
If you’ve got an outdoor cat or dog, they are perfect protectors for your garden. You can either train them to chase squirrels away (cats usually don’t need the training) or just let them out in the yard to patrol.
FAQs
What do squirrels hate the most?
Squirrels dislike strong smells like those from garlic, pepper, or peppermint. Planting these herbs around your garden may help deter them.
How do I keep squirrels from digging in my garden?
To keep squirrels from digging in your garden, you can try using physical barriers like wire mesh or chicken wire placed over the soil. You can also try sprinkling cayenne pepper or garlic powder around the area, as squirrels and other garden pests dislike the smell.
What is the best homemade squirrel repellent?
A homemade squirrel repellent can be made by mixing water with hot sauce or chili powder and spraying it on the areas where squirrels are causing trouble. The spicy scent can deter them from digging or foraging.
What smell do squirrels hate the most?
Squirrels are known to dislike the smell of certain strong scents, including those of peppermint, garlic, and capsaicin (found in chili peppers).
Do coffee grounds really repel squirrels?
Yes, coffee grounds may have some repellent effect on squirrels due to their strong smell, but the effectiveness can vary. Some people find success with this method, while others do not.
Will spraying vinegar keep squirrels away?
Yes, spraying vinegar around your garden may deter squirrels temporarily due to its strong scent, but it may need to be reapplied frequently to maintain effectiveness. Remember that vinegar can also affect plants, so use it cautiously and avoid spraying it directly on them.
Final words
Some people might use squirrel traps to keep these animals under control. You can also check our guide on how to get rid of squirrels for more information.
See more:
- How to get rid of squirrels in the attic
- How to Keep Raccoons Out of Your Yard
- How to keep chipmunks out of garden
- How to stop squirrels from eating pumpkins
- How do you get rid of groundhogs
*image by Wirestock&PantherMediaSeller/depositphotos
