Some people love watching squirrels scurry frantically about their yard and consider them a welcome guest. However, when a squirrel’s behavior becomes destructive, digging up bulbs and nibbling on vegetables in your garden, they begin to lose their appeal — you want them gone.
Unfortunately, since they’re so abundant, keeping squirrels off of your property is pretty much an impossible task. If you catch and remove one, another will gladly take its spot. However, squirrels are intelligent and have an incredible memory — they learn which food sources are safe and easy to access and which present risk. Taking advantage of their intelligence is how you can best combat your squirrel problem.
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While a squirrel’s diet consists mostly of fruits and vegetables, they’re opportunistic omnivores and will eat nearly anything over their 6- to 12-year life in the wild. The different types of foods a squirrel will eat include fruits, vegetables, flowers, nuts, fungi, insects, bird’s eggs, parts of plants and anything discarded by humans.
In most areas, squirrels are abundant — you’ll see several of them in your yard throughout the day. While the mere appearance of squirrels doesn’t mean you have a problem, there are many clear signs that you should take action.
Some of the signs to look for include damaged or missing crops, dug-up bulbs, scattered soil in flower pots, small holes in garden beds, empty bird feeders and gnawed-up trash can lids. Besides the damage caused to your lawn and garden, if squirrels get too comfortable, they can invade your home and cause even more trouble.
Although squirrels can be out and about all day long, they’re most active in the mornings and evenings. During the spring, squirrels become active searching for fresh food, but it’s fall when they’re likely to cause the most trouble. As the weather begins to change, squirrels not only eat more, but they store food in secret spots, often in the ground, so they can have sustenance throughout the winter. Additionally, a storm will cause a squirrel to seek shelter, so a drop in barometric pressure can send a squirrel into a feeding frenzy.
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The bad news is, you won’t be able to get rid of squirrels. The good news is, there are things you can do to keep your yard less appealing. Rake up and remove anything such as fallen fruit, nuts, seeds and other debris that may attract squirrels to areas where you don’t want them. Purchase a trash can that seals tightly or get a trash can lock to keep squirrels from going into your trash.
Squirrels have a keen sense of smell. Treating your yard with repellents that squirrels find unpleasant may help. Here are a few top choices.
I Must Garden Squirrel Repellent
This squirrel repellent is safe for plants, pets, pollinators and people, and it has no offensive odors. It can be sprayed nearly anywhere you have a problem with squirrels chewing.
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Bonide Repels-All Animal Repellent
The all-natural ingredients in this repellent can keep squirrels away for up to 60 days. The formula causes mild irritation to a squirrel’s nasal passages when the animal touches, tastes or smells the product.
Getting a dog or a cat is a great way to police your yard to keep it free from unwanted pests. However, if that isn’t in your plans for the future, there are other items that may help train squirrels to stay away from your garden.
Users have varying degrees of success with these plastic owls that are designed to frighten away birds and other small animals such as squirrels. If they’re effective for you, you still may need to move them around your garden so the squirrels don’t get used to them.
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Orbit Yard Enforcer Motion-Activated Sprinkler
This intelligent motion-activated sprinkler works day or night and can detect animals up to 40 feet away. The sprinkler head can be angled to spray lower to the ground to target smaller animals such as squirrels.
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If you’re finding squirrels don’t respond to other methods, consider purchasing fencing to protect your garden.
AlpineReach Garden Netting Kit
This durable netting kit is specifically designed to protect your garden from wildlife. It comes with 100 zip ties that can be used for securing the netting.
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While some suggest using a live trap to capture squirrels so they can be relocated, this may not be as effective as you were hoping. Once you remove a particularly troublesome squirrel with a trap, it opens the door to invite others onto your property. Additionally, there’s a risk factor involved with getting that close to live animals, so it might best be accomplished by hiring a professional.
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Allen Foster is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
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