squirels in my garden
| 3 years ago :: Jul 04, 2007 - 6:55AM #1 | |
|
Please help me with my problem, if you can. I have a serious problem with the squirels digging holes in my garden. They dig holes under the mulch and they even dig holes in my potted plants I have sitting on my front porch. I bought some perinuals and planted them in the front of my garden and now they are disappearing. They squirels have uprooted a lot of my plants. What are they looking for? I am a novice gardener and I am trying my hand at gardening for the first time since I have a nice lawn and garden area. I would like to put down something that would retard them but kill my plants.
Any information you would have would be highly appreciative. Thank you, Bernadine Harris bharris55@bellsouth.net |
|
| 3 years ago :: Jul 07, 2007 - 12:47PM #2 | |
|
Bernadine56,
Squirrels can certainly be a challenge! I suspect they're looking for, and digging up, nuts and fruits and things to eat that they may have buried last year. I have friends with marauding squirrels who get in their garden and eat some of the vegetables. So what do you do about it? Well, you can make up a mix of garlic, spent marigold flowers, hot cayenne pepper, maybe some tobacco ground up, and spray it on the plants that the squirrels are bothering. I don't suggest netting because the little critters have a way of getting around that. The issue with the spray is that you need to reapply, especially after heavy rains. That's what I would try. I hope some other gardeners will share their squirrel-repelling secrets with us in this forum too. Good luck! Mark Miller |
|
| 3 years ago :: Jul 19, 2007 - 5:16PM #3 | |
|
copenhagen (chewing tabacco) and cayenne pepper work for us...
|
|
| 3 years ago :: Jul 20, 2007 - 3:46PM #4 | |
|
Squirrels were the bain of my existence for a very long time until I moved to a home that only has trees on the perimeter of the property. Before that, we had declared war on each other and everytime I would try a new deterrent they would get their revenge - they ate the cushions on my patio chairs, chewed through my screen doors and even chewed big chunks out of my board fencing. I came to the realization that they can eventually figure out anything - except how to cross the street without getting run over. So unless you are ready to build a 2 lane road around your property I would suggest calling a truce, consider not putting out any bird seed and getting a fast dog.
|
|
| 3 years ago :: Jul 24, 2007 - 3:05PM #5 | |
|
Oh yeah can I idenify with your squirel problem, as many readers have suggested various solutions, but the only sure fired way is to purchase a live bait trap. These traps can be purchases from home and garden cataloges or from local feed stores. Bait the trap with peanut butter mixed with bird seed and spread on a slice of bread. Walla! The squirrel has taken the sumptous appitizer. Now what do you do with the cute little varmit. Call the wildlife department and ask if they collect the little critters or take them out for a long, long ride to a wooded area (not near your neighborhood), and let it go. It depends on how many squirrels you have terriorizing your beautiful garden to be totally free of them. It may take you a few trips to totally get rid of them, or purchase two live traps and place them in two seperate areas of the yard. That way you could get rid of two at a time, depending on your budget. It really works and you save a lot of money and time on repairing all those boo-boo's around the yard and home created by those pesty squirrels. Until next spring, enjoy a squirrel free garden!
|
|
| 3 years ago :: Jul 25, 2007 - 4:14PM #6 | |
|
I know this is going to sound weird, but i had a problem with squirels digging up my corn seeds. I tied an aluminum pie pan to a string and dangled it from a stake, and it worked! I'm not sure why, maybe the reflection or noise it made when wind blew it?
|
|
| 3 years ago :: Aug 12, 2007 - 12:06PM #7 | |
|
We have done the same thing in our garden. Every five feet we have an aluminum pan tied to the wire fence and it has worked to ward off everything from deer to rabbits and is less expensive than running electricity through the wire. On the Fourth of July, we had a moose visit us and he seemed drawn to the shiny aluminum but it has worked to keep all the other critters away.
|
|
| 2 years ago :: Sep 27, 2007 - 10:36PM #8 | |
|
Hey I thought I was the only one with the pan trick! LOL Yup, it works!
Cheers Chris ________________________________________ |
|
| 2 years ago :: Apr 12, 2008 - 8:57PM #9 | |
|
I don't have a problem with them digging up my garden, but I do put out bird seed in a special bird feeder on my picnic table just for the squirrels. That way they stay away from my beds and my bird feeder. The other suggestion might be putting some fake owls out on your fence. I know they work for rabbit, geese, and ducks not sure of squirrels.
|
|
| 2 years ago :: Jul 01, 2008 - 11:55AM #10 | |
|
I happen to be partial to squirrels - and all of wildlife for that matter - since they are part of nature and I raise orphan squirrels and bunnies (am wildlife rehabber) and then release them in my backyard wooded area. I also have a birdfeeder with a baffle (keeps them off) and I have two squirrel feeding stations. They will, on occasion, dig into my newly planted annual pots (they hide their seeds) but I redo the planter and smile when I see what they planted grow.
|
|
Viewing this thread :: 0 registered and 1 guest
No registered users viewing