Keeping Squirrels out of Flower Pots and Beds

In the south we have recipes for squirrel stew.

Here to Dale.

Iris--- the reason they have that law is because it does not solve the problem it only moves it onto someone else.

I am a lousy cook but may try squirrel stew. They just dug up a newly planted daylily and some of the new winter sown baby plants. I added red pepper, black pepper to the dug up areas and more areas, then went out to find cheap cayenne again - got 5 bottles. Dosed the bird food again. One squirrel still seems to like the pepper. If he/she is not careful, he/she will be the main dish here soon.

They did not bother any area where I installed that plastic mesh, a labor intensive piece of work. So, I will keep doing that too as long as I can.

My neighbor cut down most of the trees in her back yard and that seemed to help lower the tree rodent population too. Re other rodents, such as moles/voles: most of the new tulips did not make it, in spite of adding sharp sand and mesh baskets. I just added grub control to some areas and am waiting for the stores to open to get more. I cannot use it where I have food plants. I used it around the fence area, where the tulips were supposed to be, and under the bird feeders (where I found a lot of mole tunnels - I think). I want to add it to more of the grass area. I know I saw tiny mice (voles?) around this area for several years.

Question 1: For those who trap rodents and release them elsewhere, what about those who end up with your rodents? That does not seem fair. You move rodents to new unsuspecting gardeners? Hmmmm, is this how I keep getting more of them?

Question 2: I have always heard that moving critters to new locations where they do not have their old protective areas and food supplies probably ensures their early demise. Wildlife people have often said this. So, why is this a humane solution? Curious.

Carol---- being out here on lake of the ozarks I do not trap squirrels. I just get rid of them permanently. Only thing I trap and relocate is coons and possums. The only reason for that is because coons are hard to kill and I like a very fast clean kill. I suspect because your neighbor cut down her trees you are getting the population from that. It is true if you trap and move them your just giving someone else the problem. As far as it causing a early death no way. They will adapt with whatever is on hand. besides that they are free to range. To even think about being successful relocating a coon you got to take it a minium of 10 miles. If you try to take it down the road a few miles it just might well be back the next night. Coon overpopulate also. But nothing at the rate squirrels do.

relocating squirrls seems impossible unless you make it a full time job! there are so many!

Aren't sqirrels territorial? I think I read that you have to go several miles away, with a river between you and where you take them, to have any chance of them not returning. Squirrels here seem to be getting bolder. They get very close when I'm working in my yard and don't budge when I yell (my neighbors must think I've lost my marbles.) They barely move when I wing a pile of weeds at them. How come you never see baby squirrels? At least I don't. Totally off the subject -- has anyone been to Olney, Illinois? The town is full of albino squirrels - they're everywhere! Back on the subject - I have an unusual situation in my yard. There must be an exposed area on the power lines that run along the back of my property. Several times a month I find a dead squirrel (and occasional possum) in the exact same spot, electrocuted, I'm sure. I was told they would have to touch two wires at the same time for this to happen, but there's got to be a connection there. In addition to the damage from the squirrels, I have a lot of problems with the all-too-cute, buy VERY destructive chipmunks. Sniff, sniff....is that chipmunk stew I smell???

This message was edited May 14, 2008 10:47 PM

The reason for the dead squirrels along the power lines would have little to do with touching both wires (positive and negative) at the same time. More than likely if it is due to chewing on terminal insulators. It is a big problem for power companies. It could be something else however. Someone might be using poison are else you have a neighbor with a high power quiet pellet gun. I have taken down a lot of rabbits in the Maryland Heights, Bridgeton area with a pellet gun. I only hope if it is the latter he knows how to use it correctly. The White Squirrels in Olney I believe are not albino. They are just white. There is another population somewhere in Northern Missouri. Albino animals do not usually live a long time. They develop phyical problems early in life they are also easy marks for preditors. We had a albino buck here for a couple of years.

i saw a book of albino animals--they were really fun to look at and there were so many different ones--weird about the animals that die in that spot--kind of like your own little bermuda triangle---a real mystery

Cats and dogs seem to have had enough with our lil pests and so as the birds. I am not quite sure what kind of bird is it but they are beating the living heck out of them. The cats are hunting them and so as the dogs. Hopefully this will reduce some the ones around here.

Gardinia---- Birds hate squirrels. They will raid their nest and eat the eggs. And that is not from want of food. There can be all kinds of forage in the area and they will still go to the eggs.

Since this is still a free Country to each his own . I cannot but wonder what it will be next.....

Wow, squirrels sure seem to be a hot topic. I, too, have waged war with the little buggers, and pulled up about a dozen walnut seedlings this year. Last year I tried practically every means of controlling them, and even set out rat poison (in a pms induced rage...) Since I grow most of my garden from seed, there is no way to describe the frustration of bringing these tiny plants to life, babying them over the winter, hardening them off for weeks, then planting them out, only to find they've been ripped up the next morning, and even destroyed. DH actually stopped me from walking out the front door with his shotgun. It's a good thing he has more sense than me; the rest of my in town neighbors may have been a little scared for their lives...
Anyway, I have finally found a solution, as mentioned above, the chicken wire works wonders! I bought the plastic kind at Menard's and I can cut it into tiny squares to go over my new plants. It may look unsightly for a while, and is extra labor, but it's nothing compared to all the time I've put into the seedlings. I remove the squares after the plants get large enough to survive a little digging, and usually by that time the squirrels have lost interest.

My squirrels are under control this season. I have 3 using the yard at present. they are a big plus in cleaning up under the bird feeders, that they cannot raid. This time of year it is deer for me. Part of the herd came into it summer grounds about 1/2 mile up the road. I am able to control them with my high powered pellet rifle this year. There is a lot of yearlings in the herd this year that never experienced a real sore rear end. After they do they will not be coming down here anymore.

I took a year off of work and sat with my paintball gun. After a couple of good shots they made great strides to avoid my yard to get to the next yard bird feeder. Just like they know how long a dog leash is, they know they won't get shot outside my boundaries. It's 2 years past and I believe they need a reminder. It stings but I can't kill or possibly wound any animal. As with the hawks, I just pop off the gun a couple of times, no paintballs. They stay away 2weeks at a time. Love the SQUIRRELAPULT.

the squirrels were so fun to watch today--they were just so playful!! now that my plants are grown they aren't such a problem--i am lucky that so far they haven't chewed anything but plants and bulbs

I am raising fat squirrels. I meant to be raising veggies..... Gonna get a shotgun - I've had it.

Lead is the only permanent treatment. Squirrels are smart enough to figure out a way around anything else you try.

I have been saying that on here for a couple years dp72. They have to be controlled. They are in fact a cousin to the rat and multiply about as fast. I do not like to shoot anything but I know I have to. I have shot more deer in the rump with a hi powered pellet rifle this year tha many hunters have shot in their life. I seen one limping the other day on the road and I know i did it and it does bother me to see that even knowing it will get over it in a few weeks.

i understand --they are trouble --but they sure are a lot cuter than rats!!

After they've eaten ALL your veggies and fruits, they are no longer cute.

And the palm seeds I'm waiting for two years to come up. They're not even there! They're not protected, you can put an ad in the paper, someone will come get them for eating. I heard they taste like chicken.

If squirrels are so smart, why don't they ever remember where they buried their dang walnuts the previous fall? I've pulled up a dozen this year!

They never do remember where they bury the nuts. They can smell them from above the ground.

well i learned something new! i guess they'd have to remember a lot of hiding places otherwise! so i guess they are hidden for any squirrel to find-not the hider only?

There is no permanent way to keep squirrels away from your flower beds and pots. So there.

I still have rabbit, squirrel, and chipmunk damage, but I was able to reduce it significantly by hiding dog treats at random spots in the garden. My retriever thinks it is a wonderful game and "patrols" our acre pretty closely. She has yet to actually catch anything but she has chased the pests and/or dug up nests. I think the rodents have just chosen easier gardens to raise their familes.

It helps that we have fox and red tailed hawks hunting here too.

i saw a dog the other day at the bottom of a tree looking up and running around the tree while the squirrels teased him from above! i do think a dog would be a good deterent--at least it would keep them in the trees!

Catching chipmunks is one thing but squirrels are pretty good fighters. Cats do a better job on the small vermin. But since I am rural and have a good backdrop for my shooting I imagine when their numbers become to great again I will just shoot them.

oh you know you are going to get some upset folks saying that!

that' the idea

well that's what i thought!

I think the chipmunks move in cycles, we have fewer at the moment. Plenty of squirrels as with oak trees they and the deer have food. We only have our bird feeders out from mid-Oct to mid-April. A new mesh feeder doesn't allow them it get much, although they try.

Yes, she's endured squirrel "taunting" from trees with the little red pine squirrels the worst "scolders," but her regular rounds of each of the flower beds checking for a possible treat has really helped reduce pest damage. Nosing and digging into ground squirrel and rabbit dens has them moving on to other areas. Since most of my potted plants are by the front door and patio, where she likes to nap, I've had no squirrel damage there.

It's true I have to pull dog fur off my rose bush thorns, and she likes to lie on the cool leaves of the hostas and lily of the valley. But she is still a good, child safe, non-chemical solution to garden pests.

Hi fellow squirrel-victims.
My solution....some company (Purina?) needs to market a squirrel food (pellet?) that we can feed to the beasties that contains birth-control chemicals to let them gorge all summer but not reproduce like rats!

After a few years in a neighborhood, the local population would surely be down!

PS why not the same approach to eliminate rodents in the cities? Let them eat! But not reproduce! No poisions involved!

Ed

that is such a good idea!! would it risk wiping out a species? i don't think so --there are places that deer are so over populated that they don't have enough food --i guess the idea has potential for a lot of species (octomom included!)

Glad I saw this thread!

Im an avid animal lover - if it comes in my yard: I'll feed it - with the exception of Carnivorous Birds, snakes and those blasted voles/ moles or whatever the burrowing root chompers are !! If i knew what they liked other than my hosta, bleeding hearts etc Id get it for them!

Aw Heck I keep a 4.5 - 6 foot stick (any pruned or downed tree branch will do) just to Keep Hon from giving a CopperHead (snake) the Tip of the Shovel.
Yep, they just wrap around the stick and I walk across the golf course to the natural area.

I feed squirrels too. found if i feed them they'd leave the bird feeders alone. Have never tasted one piece from any of the peach, apple, fig trees we have growing.
But this year is going to be different!

Sat up last night making chicken wire baskets to be lined with coco liners, garden soil ad plant added then popped into the ground with some of that rock stuff (it too deters the squirrel and voles) on top.

Yes its a lot of work but I'm telling myself, if we move as I plan (next 1 - 3 years) it will be so much easier to take these with me!

and Thank You for the idea of adding some wire to the pots!
not sure about the plastic netting, these squirrels have chewed holes into our screens on the back porch.

But im using netting over out fruit trees and strawberries and tomatoes this year.

I WILL be getting some of that Purina vitamin.
taint a darn thing wrong with some control being extended when a critter cannot control themselves. (ie - out of my yard or not so many)

PS - about a cat. . . ours is from the alleys of the Bronx in NYC.
likes tomato sauces, black beans, corn muffins & yogurt. . . and will steal any if give the chance. but wont steal meat or fish . . .
He's quite old now (17yrs) but still climbs trees and paroles his domain (our yard).
But the squirrels don't let him get a good sun nap
- running over him and his tail as he attempts to slumber
- just gets NoRespect.
I had "adopted" a feral sewer cat who'd steal from ANY nest and DO lunch. That was not good either. he's gone.

But the squirrels and voles are going to Loose the Power this Summer!

Well, I'm glad I saw your post, 50glee, I generally have the same attitude toward animals, love 'em, love to feed 'em and share and all that but honestly, squirrels, yes I have fed them too, very fond of them, but also used chicken wire!

Now, all that said, here is another solution perhaps. I am not recommending this but thought in the interests of science it might be worthy of sharing:

http://community.nascar.com/members/tallsbrat/videos/339

For those who would like to keep deer away from their flowers and plants - use urine. Have the males of your household pee in a jar and pour it around the edges of your beds. This may sound gross, but it does work and it is free. Does not work on squirrels that well, but will keep out other pests like skunks also. When you start to see their return, you will need to repeat this procedure as the odor has been washed away.

BUG B GONE FROM YOUR GARDEN SPRAY
THE NATURAL WAY
6 Jalapeños
4 Cloves of Garlic
1 Yellow (Hot) Onion
1 Cup of Ground /Crushed Red Pepper
*Grind all ingredients in blender let set.
* Boil 4 Quarts of water to raging boil.
Put Ingredients in one (1) Gallon (Wide Mouth) Jug or Equivalent.
Pour Hot water in on top, let stand 48 hours.
Strain mix through panty hose.(NOT wife’s good ones! Ya could get hurt)
Mix will yield one gallon that can be mixed in 2 ½ gal sprayer.(Add cool water to fill line)
***Spray New and growing plants until fruit starts to grow well.
There is not a bug or critter around that will bother you garden.
*** The Bees don’t Care****

A lot can be said about the squirrel. They're cute but once you've dealt with the damage they can do it will change your mind. Here we call them tree rats. THEY ARE RODENTS! Can anyone tell me a GOOD thing that they do? My husband works in the cable business and you would not believe how many times he has been called out to work because of squirrels chewing up the power, phone, and cable lines. He says that his company probably spends millions a year replacing 'squirrel chew'. They chew on the aluminum to sharpen their teeth (I guess). They have eaten up ALL of the bulbs that I planted last year. I don't even know how much money I have lost to them. Tulips, sedum, gladiolus, and probably a lot of seeds I planted that never came up were due to the havoc of the tree rat. I counted 12 holes in one bed that's probably about 6' x 6'. These were dug by the precious little gray squirrels. Population control is not cruel when an animal is costing so much money.