Anyone who knows me is aware that I spend most of my time in my garden.
I love being surrounded by nature, and every day I’m visited by new animals in my backyard. While most animals are welcome, squirrels tend not to be a gardener’s best friend.
Take last fall, for example, when I had planted fresh bulbs only to find them uprooted. Now, my dogs would never damage my patch. After all, they’re extremely well-trained, so I looked for other signs to find the intruder.
Sure enough, there were holes dug nearby and half-eaten fruits lying around. It was apparent that squirrels were gathering food for the winter. Now, I wanted to keep my garden safe without harming them.
The best I could think of was to chase them whenever they appeared. Nothing like giving them a good scare, is there? Unfortunately, I tripped and fell, thanks to one of the squirrel holes, while the tiny critter looked down on me from high up the trees.
Not one to be defeated easily, I devised innovative ways to keep my garden safe. Hi! I’m Stacy Smith, and today I’ll tell you about squirrel-proofing your garden.
There are numerous ways to chase away squirrels, but I’ve highlighted the most effective among them. It’s essential to remember that squirrels are an important part of the ecosystem, so don’t try anything drastic. Protect your veggies but leave the squirrels in peace.
If the squirrels are looking for food, it’s your job to make it tough for them. Take a stroll through your garden and try to locate nuts, acorns, and berries, which form the staple diet for our bushy-tailed friend. You can buy a nut gatherer or collect them by hand.
Rather than throwing these away, place the nuts away from the vegetable patch and flowers. There must be a corner of the yard where squirrels can roam about freely; all you need to do is place the food there.
Having pet dogs will make it easier to deal with squirrels. Let the dogs roam in the garden, provided they are trained, so that the squirrels keep a safe distance.
What do you do if you don’t have dogs? You fake it, of course. Gather a little dog hair from your neighbors and place it in the leaf litter. You may also use deer repellents or coffee grounds in strategic spots so that the squirrels don’t dare venture close.
Use the element of surprise, which is sure to shoo away squirrels. You don’t need to chase after them like me and risk getting hurt. Whenever you spot them, clap loudly or shout to frighten them.
Other than that, spray water from a motion-activated sprinkler or a regular hose, making them quickly scamper up the nearest tree.
This procedure is slightly tricky but may work just the same. You can keep a raptor or owl nest on a nearby tree and hope that a predatory bird finds it a suitable home. Then let nature take its course, making the squirrels think twice before foraging in the open.
But if there are other small creatures you’re fond of, predatory birds might not hesitate to expand their diet. So, choose wisely.
Squirrels are inquisitive and intelligent, so you need to build a solid structure around your crops. I would recommend building a fence several feet high, ensuring that they can’t climb over or pass through the gaps. Moreover, place the base of this fence at least a foot into the ground, preventing them from digging to the other side.
Many of my neighbors have also built a greenhouse which is efficient but costly.
What are companion plants? These plants have a strong natural odor, perfect for keeping squirrels away from your fruit crops.
Gardeners often employ plants like mint, Marigold, and Nasturtium to drive pests away. But there’s a catch. Their skunk-like smell is discomforting for humans as well, meaning you’ll need to plant them away from the porch or patio.
While all the steps mentioned above are a way of bringing squirrels outside their comfort zone, there is one technique that is affordable and effective. You can cover the ground with mulch as squirrels don’t like how it feels against their feet.
Similarly, aluminum foil works like a charm and helps mask the smell of fresh buds, reducing unwanted attention from these bushy-tailed rodents.
Rather than the squirrels coming to you, go to them and take some food as a peace-offering. Squirrels love to eat peanuts, sunflower seeds, and corn, so you can place their favorite treats in a squirrel feeder far away from the crops. You may even allocate a separate area, like a squirrel feeding ground, where they can go about their daily activities.
I’ve also seen people harvest extra crops so that squirrels can have their fill, leaving the main crops untouched. But this isn’t the most effective solution. For all you know, you may be fanning their appetite, keeping them coming back for more.
I don’t mean intoxicating the squirrels, but you can easily fill their tiny bellies with fresh water. When squirrels go after tomatoes and other juicy vegetables, most of the time, they are thirsty. So, it wouldn’t hurt to share a drink once in a while.
All said and done; squirrels are fascinating creatures, and without them gardens can’t survive.
If you manage to live alongside these rodents, they will solve issues like weeding and keep the branches clean. I hope you’ve gathered all the information on how to keep squirrels out of garden areas; it’s now time I took your leave.
Take care, bye!
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