Struggling with a squirrel problem? You’re not alone! In order for your garden to thrive, you’ll need to keep squirrels away. Let’s take a look at how to keep squirrels out of your garden using natural methods.
Squirrels can be incredibly pesky little animals, and keeping them out of your garden is no small feat! One of the biggest issues is that squirrels love to eat many of the same foods that we like to grow in our gardens. They love fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, and berries.
If you have a squirrel problem in your garden, you’ll know about it. Not only will you see them all over your yard, you’ll be able to identify the damage pretty easily. Look for:
- shallow digging and holes near plants
- small bites on vegetables, especially tomatoes
- plants thrown out of planters
We’ll share our best tips for keeping squirrels away from your plants without hurting them or using any harsh chemicals.
7 Natural Ways to Keep Squirrels Out of the Garden
1. Garlic Spray to Keep Squirrels Away
Squirrels hate both the scent and the taste of garlic, so this should deter them from messing with your garden. Add chopped garlic, vinegar, and water to a spray bottle and allow the concoction to sit for a few days. Then, spray the mixture on fences and stakes within the garden to keep the critters away.
2. Get Rid of Squirrels With Plants
One of the easiest ways to keep squirrels out of your garden is to add bulbs and plants they don’t like to eat. Consider plants like hyacinth, daffodils, allium, geraniums, peppermint, and lily of the valley. Some of these plants have the added bonus of helping to keep mosquitos away!
3. Essential Oils and Fabric Scraps
If you don’t feel like planting mint in your garden for fear of it taking over, you can still enjoy the benefits of this aromatic plant. Simply soak some fabric scraps in peppermint essential oil and place the scraps throughout your garden. Squirrels aren’t a fan of the scent and will hopefully keep their distance.
4. Apple Cider Vinegar Spray
Just like with garlic spray, squirrels can’t stand the scent of vinegar. Keep squirrels out of your garden by spraying apple cider vinegar on hard surfaces and fixtures near where they congregate to deter them. Just be careful not to spray the vinegar on your plants, as the acidity could accidentally damage them!
5. Keep Squirrels Out of Your Garden Using Scare Tactics
Scarecrows were invented to keep crows away from crops, but you can use a similar tactic to keep the squirrels away. Scare them using things like scarecrows, motion detector lights or sprinklers, or owl decoys. You can also try to attract real owls to your yard instead of relying on a decoy!
6. Give Squirrels Their Own Food Source
While this may seem counterintuitive, it might just be the thing to keep squirrels out of your vegetable garden. Adding a squirrel feeder in a part of your yard that is far away from your flowers and vegetables might just be what saves them. To be extra certain they’ll leave your juicy tomatoes alone, add a shallow dish of water near the feeder. Squirrels get thirsty just like the rest of us!
7. Sprinkle Pet Hair
If you happen to have a pet at home, you can use them to your advantage. By sprinkling pet hair in the garden, you might be able to trick the squirrels into thinking there is a dog or cat nearby, and they will try to avoid the area.
Methods to Avoid
Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper is often touted as being effective at getting rid of squirrels. However, if it gets on their paws and they touch their eyes, it will cause temporary blindness. The point is to keep them away from your harvest, not to harm them.
Live Traps
Live traps also seem like a good idea in the moment, but they can often cause more harm than good. It seems like a humane way to deal with your problem, but the majority of urban squirrels have no idea how to survive in a more ‘natural environment’. Plus, if you’re trapping them between spring and late summer, you might be separating the mother from her babies, who won’t be able to survive without her.
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