gardners VS squirrels

[gs1]

gardners need help before they get nasty.

please give tips on how to prevent squirrels from digging in beds, flower pots etc.

so far i've thought of chicken wire around plants.

does anyone have tips?

Is there any product that can be used that doesn't harm the squirrels?



this is for the prevention of harm coming to squirrels so i'd guess it belongs in this forum. ?.


:thankyou

[Legomom]

I've heard of some people sprinkling black pepper or coffee grounds around their gardens.

I also found this:

To keep squirrels away from or keep them from eating your garden plants, mix this:
1 gallon of water
6 capfuls of Murphy's Oil Soap
2 Tbsp. of cayenne pepper
Spray onto plants. This does not harm the plants and WILL keep the squirrels away!

I also found this:
http://www.bbg.org/gar2/topics/sustainable/2000wi_squirrel_tips.html

If you google "squirrels in the garden" or "keeping squirrels out of the garden", you'll find a lot of info.

[gs1]

Hey Shannon:wave123

thanks....

I wanted to get away from the peppers and the moth balls etc...

I did google but I knew that this board would think first of the squirrel and then of the plant - so i wanted something 100% safe.

So, coffee grounds - great for acidic plants and will def try that.

Don't have murphys oil soap but know it to be very gentle and will get some!!!

I was hoping for something too that people could scatter all over their lawns.

will be back later.:wave123

[Jackie in Tampa]

let me know what works!
Nothing I have ever tried did any good....:tilt

[gs1]

jackie: that's disheartning. i was hoping that someone like you would know.

we'll keep trying.

i've tonnes of pots to experiment on.

:D

[FLUFFYTAILNUT]

I've tried the straight Cayenne pepper...
That didnt work....did the tee' dee's on the boarder of the garden..

(Also did the fencing..) that did help....some...
I will now do the Murphy's Soap..combo..
Thanks Shanon..
Salvatore saw...a few more Bean sprouts..nibbled...he is HAVING a MAJOR..fit...
He is ALmost ready to sit in the tree..with Camo....with his shot gun!:osnap
Silvana.....I will try it and let you know...

Rachel:grouphug

[JLM27]

I am putting down hardware cloth around my young sprouting plants to discourage digging. I do not know how this will work for the plants, but I want to see if it stops the uprooting particularly of the pachysandra.

There are plants that are not poisonous that they just don't like. I saw a web list of these one time.

Now the bleeding hearts are another issue. All they have to do is step on them and they are broken.

But this is the Pookie Pie Memorial Garden, and it is for them, so they can break whatever they want. I just want to make it a cool, pleasant, safe place for them to play, and have fresh water and munchies.

[gs1]

Rachel:D what is a tee dee???? and who did it? Rabbits?

there's 2 things here:

1. digging equals squirrels.

and i guess 2. rabbits, eating plants. ..so the pepper spray or murphys oil would be good to stop the rabbits eating.

but to stop the squirrels digging?

as for salvatore... it's possible that if your garden is caged and rabbits can't get in, maybe you have some kind of grub or insect eating the bean sprouts... slugs come to mind.

I'm not sure that squirrels would come in and eat, or if they did/do, maybe you'd like to make a top for the garden? it could be fabric.

[gs1]

hi Jill!!!!

there are some nice decorative metal sticks with a curled end for holding up plants - they'd be great for the bleeding heart if it wasn't inserted inside the roots or maybe a little chicken wire cage for them...

hardware cloth, like chicken wire is good but not for everywhere and everyone.

I was hoping for something to sprinkle around. It's not even the plants so much as the soil, - dirt all over balconies, flying small plants, disturbing seedlings ....

I love the idea of the pookie pie memorial garden!!!:)