Vegetable Garden Pest Problems – Squirrels?

Posted on Oct 28 2009 - 5:45am by Mike Lieberman

Categorized as

4080

Up until this point I’ve been pretty lucky with the pest problems in either of my gardens. The fire escape garden has a built in defense from pests being on the fourth floor. My backyard vegetable garden doesn’t have that luxury.

Back in June there were some small signs of pest problems, but nothing horrible. The containers seemed to be a pest deterrent.

I’ve since expanded to more than containers though to cinder block gardening and during my final fall planting used traditional pots.

The pests seem to be much more willing to mess with the plants in these. One of the cinder block had nearly all of the plants pulled up out of the soil. Two of the pots had huge holes dug into them and the plants were scattered.

My guess is that it’s squirrels doing this because, well I always see squirrels scampering around in the backyard and almost saw one approach the pots.

Now the question becomes how do I deter them? Thoughts?

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=291puzfePBE

12 Comments so far. Feel free to join this conversation.

Jeanne W October 28, 2009 at 9:49 am -

set your pinwheels up in your pots. that might keep the squirrels out.
Mike Lieberman October 28, 2009 at 10:23 am -

Good call on that one.
Damon November 5, 2009 at 5:30 pm -

Try some cayenne pepper. You have to reapply after rain but it's cheap in the bulk section. That or chicken wire covers….ugh 🙁
Mike Lieberman November 5, 2009 at 8:17 pm -

You're the second person to say that. I'll have to toss some down. Thanks.
RawDamon November 6, 2009 at 1:30 am -

Try some cayenne pepper. You have to reapply after rain but it's cheap in the bulk section. That or chicken wire covers….ugh 🙁
Mike Lieberman November 6, 2009 at 4:17 am -

You're the second person to say that. I'll have to toss some down. Thanks.
Jessica Braun April 15, 2011 at 6:26 pm -

I’m not sure how to deter squirrels but I know that they love cinder blocks, all rodents do. Cinder blocks are the perfect size for them to crawl in and out of and nest in…so if all else fails you could always go back to pots that are less appealing to the little monsters.
Mike Lieberman April 15, 2011 at 11:44 pm -

Cool. Thanks for the tip on that.
Mike Lieberman April 15, 2011 at 11:44 pm -

Cool. Thanks for the tip on that.
Jay Mursch May 17, 2012 at 11:21 am -

Good luck. I’ve tried all of the suggestions so far with limited luck. I bought a fake owl with a head that swivels and that worked until they figured out it was fake. I;m guessing that might be the same for pinwheels? Tried hot peppers, and hot pepper spray…nope. Blood meal or something like that was supposed to work too, nope.

I have heard that marigolds give off an odor that
squirrels don’t like, so I am going to try that this year.
Squirrels are super smart and it’s an ever changing battle.
Mike Lieberman May 17, 2012 at 1:24 pm -

Electric fence?