What did you do in the garden today?

[RichnSteph]

I found out today that the squirrels, who I thought were friends of mine since I feed them corn, have decided to begin raiding the garden. Any tomato that is beginning to ripen gets pulled off and partially eaten. When I checked the plants yesterday afternoon and they'd broken 4 of our plants off so I did some quick trimming and replanting. I hope they come back since each of them has blooms on it. The squirrels have also found the okra, squash and the peppers. I can't put wire over the garden that's small enough to keep the critters out but still large enough that I can get in there to harvest the produce. I might could build a cage out of hardware cloth and 2x2's but that'd be time consuming and.... well I'm a bad carpenter so it'd probably look terrible.


Other than eliminating the squirrels (they'd go in the freezer and any waste would go into the worm bin) is there something I can put on or near the plants that will keep them out? I'd prefer not to start shooting them since there are about 3 that are almost tame enough to eat out of my hand.

(Yes I know this is a "predator/pest" question but it relates more to gardening than raising chickens)

RichnSteph

 

[enola]

You are experiencing exactly why a lot of us call them tree rats. I don't know of anything you can do to repel them. I know they don't like hot peppers, so maybe you can spray your vegetables with pepper based sprays.

Your other option is to stand guard and shoot only the ones that actually are in the garden. Maybe it is only one. ???

 

[A-K-A]

Squirrels are just rats with cute tails... Don't trust their innocent looks and clown like behaviors as good. They are just suckering you in for the freebees. They love tomatoes and squash and cukes and melons. They can be more destructive that the cute little cotton tailed, nose twitching , long earred bunnies. Whom will eat any leafy substance in your garden without discrimination. Leave room in your freezer. Remember they are the first free ranging organic meats.
I have a rabbit problem so far the squirrels haven't been bad. Good luck with recovery

 

[DennisK]

I have the same problem with ground squirrels. The more they were able to steal, the more they were able to reproduce, and it got to the point that the ground around my chicken coop seemed to move with fury little bodies. I tried trapping and relocating, but that wasn't fair to my neighbors; so the only way I was able to manage their population was with the use of a 22 – sad, but necessary. You might want to trap the tame ones and relocate them somewhere harmless.

 

[Stuffedcritter]

When the little buggers relocating my bulbs then went up the siding of the house I used sos pads shoved in their holes. Now the neighbors cat keeps watch,haven't seen a wild rabbit in the yard since we got rabbits.

 

[A-K-A]

Liberal doses of cayene pepper. Reapply after rains.

 

[Bugseye]

Stinkin' little freeloaders! I'd forget the esthetics and cover by whatever means works. I'm glad my neighbors' cats have done away with our ground squirrels. I've spent too much time, energy and money out there.

 

[lazy gardener]

Cute rats, but still rats. Good opportunity for target practice.

 

[Arielle]

Watched the chipmunk!! lol

Planted 15 plus varieties of winter squash and a few summer squash last night. Saw a few more openareas and filled in with MORE squash!! Leon. sweet potato, "Calabaza", blue hubbard, long island cheese; big max, zucchini, summer squah; buter nut, buttercup, and MANY more. Will move the snakes tomorrow from under a large section of plywood, and use that for MORE squash!!

 

[FridayYet]

Watched the chipmunk!! lol

Planted 15 plus varieties of winter squash and a few summer squash last night. Saw a few more openareas and filled in with MORE squash!! Leon. sweet potato, "Calabaza", blue hubbard, long island cheese; big max, zucchini, summer squah; buter nut, buttercup, and MANY more. Will move the snakes tomorrow from under a large section of plywood, and use that for MORE squash!!

Wow, that's awesome!