03/25/2013
Thank you Nicole Duran for your question and comment. I have been researching this issue, and while there are the usual recommendations about plastic netting (squirrels can chew through that too easily) & commercially available repellent spray (made from predator urine), I also found a few other interesting options:
1.Ground and mashed garlic mixed with vinegar can be sprayed around the plants to repel squirrels from attacking the flower and vegetable beds. You can even mix this solution into the watering can so that it gets infiltrated while you water the plants. Several home gardeners use this as a technique to ward off squirrels from their vegetable beds.
Another organic technique is to use cayenne Pepper. You can either purchase squirrel repellants that contain a hot pepper solution or make one at home. Just mix cayenne pepper amply with water and spray it on and around your plants. Commercially available products are "Scoot squirrel" and "Squirrel Away". Don't worry, this technique is completely organic and won't harm your plants. Squirrels are known to have a very sensitive sense of smell and they feel repulsed by the presence of pepper.
Please Note: Cayenne pepper and garlic is NOT healthy for squirrels and can cause damage to their eyes, nose and throat.
2. Using their sense of smell against them, plant very fragrant sage & lavender around your beds. Apparently, they dont care for that either. Not sure if it will be as effective as the pepper & garlic though.
3. Fencing your garden beds is a good idea especially when you are seeding them or when its time for fruits. You will need to use a wire mesh so the squirrels can't nibble through them. Tightly woven wire mesh netting can be used around the flower beds to a height of around 10 inches; you can also use squirrel netting for this purpose.
Hopefully these ideas have helped. Gardening by Wynne always prefers to use organic, low cost, common sense ideas first, especially if it involves using helpful other plants in companion plantings.
Remember, deer also don't like strong fragrant plants, so using herbs & lavenders in your garden scheme is encouraged. AND you get to make life a bit more flavorful!!
