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Natural way to deter squirrels


How to Keep Squirrels Away

Keep Squirrels Away from Your Yard and Home

A squirrel may look cute and cuddly, but only from a distance. Once squirrels start getting into your yard, digging around and eating your plants or birdseed, they become much less precious and more of a pest. Not to mention, if one gets inside your home — now you’ve really got a problem on your hands! A squirrel can be a tough nut to crack (no pun intended). They’re quick, and a bit sneaky, so keeping them away from your home and yard is usually much easier said than done.  However, there are a few things you can do to protect your home and keep squirrels away from your property.

What About My Yard is so Attractive to Squirrels?

There’s a reason squirrels are camping out around your house. Below are the factors that attract squirrels to your property. 

Thick Vegetation

If you have lots of hedges and shrubs, you will probably notice squirrels running in and out of them. Squirrels don’t enjoy open spaces, for fear of their safety (read: they don’t want to be scooped up by a hawk). This is why they love the cover of thick vegetation or other areas around your home that provide shelter. To help prevent this, make sure to keep your hedges and bushes properly maintained. After all, a squirrel isn’t the only pest who will enjoy a place to hide in your yard! Not only will keeping your shrubs maintained help prevent pests, but it’s also an important part of yard maintenance. 

Food & Water

Maybe you want to have birds around your home, so you set up some bird feeders and a bird bath. While the birds will surely love it, unfortunately, so will the squirrels. A squirrel will do just about anything to get to the food in a bird feeder. More often than not, it’s extremely entertaining and results in some pretty funny videos. Without a doubt, these food and water resources in your yard are one of the reasons squirrels keep coming back. If you do keep food and water out for other animals or birds, try to keep it in a place where only they can reach it. Or, use specific bird feeders that are squirrel-proof.  

Trees

Squirrels are attracted to trees, especially tree varieties that produce nuts and fruit.  If your yard has trees, especially large, acorn-filled ones with lots of branches, chances are you’ve already noticed squirrels in them. There’s probably even little patches of ground where they have tried to bury their findings! Unfortunately, there’s no sure-fire way to keep squirrels, or any wildlife, out of your trees. However, there are a few methods you can try to deter them. Squirrels nesting in your trees isn’t necessarily a bad thing — unless the trees are very close to your home. If the branches are close to or touching your home, squirrels could use them as a way to climb around on your roof or worse, get inside your attic. 

The Dangers of Having Squirrels in Your Yard

These little critters can cause more damage than you may think, which is why you should make it a priority to keep squirrels away from your home and yard.

Tree Stress

Squirrels will not only eat the fruits or buds on your trees, but they will gnaw on the bark, too. When done in excess, this can cause stress for your trees and result in damage, and possibly death. Sadly, younger trees and saplings won’t develop if stripped of their bark. 

Related: Does Tree and Shrub Fertilizer Actually Work?
Plant Destruction

Once a squirrel has stolen the fruits or nuts from your trees, it will try to bury them throughout your lawn. Not only will this ruin the look of your grass, but it poses a threat to any plants or flowers that are trying to grow as well. If squirrels get into your garden, they could uproot the roots of your plants or flowers and eat them. 

Food Theft

As we mentioned, squirrels will steal any type of food they can find. While this isn’t ideal for your lawn, it poses an even larger threat to commercial farms. When squirrels get into a commercial farm, they can steal and eat through a majority of its fruit. This can be especially harmful to the crops, and can negatively impact the productivity of the farm.

Home Damage

Just like any other rodent, squirrels love to chew. If given the opportunity, their tiny teeth can do some serious damage to your home. They can chew through wires and cause fire hazards, and destroy your attic’s insulation. What’s worse, once squirrels are inside your home they can begin nesting and quickly multiplying. 

Diseases

Aside from making your home their own, these pests are threatening because of the number of diseases they carry. They can spread typhus, tularemia, plague, and ringworm to humans. Squirrels have a relatively short lifespan, and much of this is due to diseases — along with their poor decision-making skills when it comes to crossing the road. If you, your family members, or household pets contract one of these diseases, it could be extremely detrimental to your health!  Please note: If you find a squirrel in your home, always consult a specialist. Squirrels are quick and can lash out if they feel trapped or cornered. Never try to capture or remove a wild animal on your own!

Tips to Keep Squirrels Away

So, how can you keep squirrels away from your home? Here are a few tips and tricks that should help!

Plant a Variety of Squirrel-Proof Flowers

Surprisingly enough, there are a few plants a squirrel will steer clear from. While a squirrel isn’t generally picky, try planting some of these to keep them moving on from your yard:

 

Daffodils

 

Fritillaries

 

Geraniums

 

Hyacinth

 

Galanthus

 

Lily-of-the-Valley

All of these flowers are either bright in color or produce a strong odor that squirrels don’t particularly enjoy. Plant these around your garden or trees to help protect them from squirrel damage and add to the beauty of your landscape.

Use Strong Odors

Scents like white pepper, black pepper, and garlic are naturally unpleasant to a squirrel. The same goes for sweet smells such as peppermint.  Try spraying your plants and flowers with water and then sprinkling on pepper or peppermint oil to deter squirrels. If this technique seems to be keeping your yard or garden safe, reapply as frequently as needed! Don’t forget to sprinkle these scents on again after storms too. 

Spray Squirrel Deterrents 

The urine of predators will also keep squirrels away. If they can smell a predator in your lawn, they’re not going to be as willing to stick around.  Commercial repellants mimic the odor and are easy to apply. Coyote and red fox urine seem to work the best, so consider purchasing sprays or liquids that either contain or mimic these odors. In your attic, use towels doused in apple cider vinegar to deter squirrels. The strong odor should deter squirrels for a while, but the towels will need to be refreshed and replaced periodically to keep the deterrent effective.

Remove Sources of Food & Water

You can’t help if the trees in your yard bear fruit and nuts for squirrels to squander. Plus, there’s no sense in cutting down a perfectly healthy tree just to keep squirrels away! However, you now know food and water sources like birdseed and bird feeders will attract squirrels. The best option would be to remove these food sources completely, so a squirrel has no reason to stay. But, if removing them isn’t an option, try squirrel-proofing your bird feeders to keep them from eating what’s not meant for them.

Scare Them Away

Keep squirrels away by adding a statue or figurine of a predator into your space. While this might not be the aesthetic you were going for, the mere silhouette of an owl could send squirrels scurrying. A squirrel is naturally skittish, so the fear of being injured or eaten could keep them away from your lawn for good. Got more than just squirrels roaming around your home? We can help with other pests, too! Download our guide, The Killingsworth Way, to learn about our unique approach to wildlife and pest control. 

The Best Way to Keep Squirrels Away

While these methods of deterrence might keep squirrels away for a little while, the best option is always to consult with a wildlife removal specialist. Squirrels are small but still dangerous if threatened, and you never want to risk contracting disease.  Here at Killingsworth, we’ve handled our fair share of wildlife, so we know a thing or two about getting rid of pesky squirrels. We want to help you protect your yard and home from damage, while safely getting rid of wildlife in a humane manner. If you are having trouble trying to keep squirrels away on your own, schedule a wildlife service. We can come and take a look at what damage they are causing and what sources are attracting them to your home in the first place, so that they never become an issue again. 

 

Natural Squirrel Repellent Ideas - Keep Squirrels out of The Yard!

Do you have a problem with squirrels?  If so, these natural squirrel repellent ideas may prove useful to you.

Dealing with squirrels has been an ongoing problem for me in one way or another for several years. 

If you read my blog often, you may remember reading about the squirrels in my vegetable garden a few years ago.

Suffice to say, it was a nightmare all around. I was at my wit’s end trying to keep them out of my home grown vegetables.

Problems caused by squirrels in the garden

Animal lovers are charmed by the acrobatic maneuvers of squirrels and find them delightful.

But when a gardener walks out into their vegetable garden to find their corn in a mess and their tomatoes scattered over the ground with exactly one bite out of each, they are anything BUT charmed.

Squirrels are a constant source of frustration for any vegetable gardener and I, for one, am always looking for new, and natural, ways for keeping squirrels out of my garden.

I am an organic gardener by nature, but when my 1000 foot vegetable garden was destroyed by squirrels two years ago, I was prepared to try anything and everything to get rid of them.

I made some squirrel repellents but was never happy with the idea that they contained moth balls, which are quite toxic, so I discontinued the use of them and started looking into other natural squirrel deterrent ideas.

Even if you never see squirrels in your yard, there are lots of signs that they have been visiting your garden.

Look for shallow digging and holes around plants, small bites on vegetables (particularly tomatoes), seed heads that hat been nibbled, whole plants that have disappeared (!) and digging evidence in your plant containers.

These are all signs that Mr. Squirrel has been paying you a visit and that it might be time to take action to control him.

Keep squirrels away naturally with some very creative ideas. Dogs, cats, garlic, peppers and peppermint are all useful tools to rid your yard of squirrels. 🐿🌶😺🐶🐿  Click To Tweet

Let’s look at some Natural Squirrel Repellent Ideas

Keeping squirrels out of the garden is a challenge for sure, but these ideas should help.

Hot Pepper Plants and Cayenne Pepper

Hot peppers are the most often used ingredients in natural squirrel repellent remedies, it seems.  You can use them in a variety of ways:

Note:  all of these remedies will need to be reapplied periodically, especially after it rains.

Garlic Sprays

Squirrels also dislike the smell and taste of garlic.  Make a concoction with chopped up garlic, water and vinegar.

Let the mixture sit for a few days to give the flavors a chance to combine well and spray it on fences, and stakes in your vegetable garden.

Apple Cider Vinegar Spray as a squirrel repellent

The acrid taste and smell of apple cider vinegar is a real turn off to squirrels. Use it as a spray on hard surfaces and fixtures in squirrel infested areas.

Note:  This spray is for use on hard surfaces, and it can be sprayed 100%. Don’t use it on plants since vinegar can kill plants.

How to Keep Squirrels away with Bulbs and Plants

Use bulbs as a way of keeping squirrels out of the garden.  Some plants that repel squirrels are beautiful to see, but many of them are actually unappealing to squirrels.

There are some bulbs and plants that squirrels really avoid due to their taste and smell.  Planting this type of bulb near your vegetable garden can do a good job of keeping the squirrels away.

A few ideas for squirrel repelling bulbs are daffodils, hyacinths, allium, lily of the valley, peppermint and geranium.

Squirrels aren’t the only thing that plants will repel. Lots of plants are great at repelling insects. See my list of mosquito repelling plants here.

Peppermint Essential Oil is a Natural Squirrel Repellent

Squirrels don’t like the strong scent of peppermint. In the same way that a live peppermint plant will deter them, peppermint essential oils also can be used.

Soak cotton balls in peppermint oil and place them here and there on jar lids around plants in your garden that the squirrels like. The baits will need to be re-soaked periodically.

You can also make a peppermint essential oil spray with the ratio of one drop of peppermint essential oil to one ounce of vinegar and use it to spray on hard surfaces in the garden.

Peppermint essential oil can also be combined with other oils to make an effective homemade mosquito repellent spray.

Other Natural Squirrel Repellent Ideas

If the remedies don’t work at keeping squirrels out of the garden, then it might be time for some more drastic measures. Here are some other ideas for what repels squirrels.

How to Get Rid of Squirrels by scaring them

Motion detecting lights, scarecrows, high frequency sound machines, owl decoys, and other tools are used to scare squirrels. Some friends of mine have a huge farm property and Randy has a vegetable garden which gives her prizes every year at the State Fair.

When I visited recently, I asked Randy how she keeps the squirrels away from it and she said it was this amazing sculpture that she had made.

The sculpture is huge, has lights that come on when anything approaches the garden and does a great job of keeping the squirrels away from it.

How to repel squirrels Using Cats and Dogs

The last few dogs that we had love to chase squirrels and this is one behavior that I don’t discourage.  

If you have a dog or cat in your yard that chases the squirrels every time they visit, it is unlikely that you will have much of a squirrel problem.

Not all dogs deter squirrels. When I had my squirrel invasion, the dogs I had then had no interest in the squirrels! Other times (and other dogs) proved just the opposite!

Squirrel Traps

Sometimes the answer to a squirrel problem is simply to trap them and remove them to another location.

Note: Be sure to check the rules about relocating in your area.  Some regions prohibit this action by law.

Place sunflower seeds, small pieces of corn on the cob or other threats that squirrels like in a squirrel trap. Place the trap near the area where you know the squirrels visit.

Once the squirrel gets trapped, release it in some far away place (or they will just return if you release near your home!)

Remove things that attract squirrels

You may be unknowingly attracting squirrels in your attempt to bring other wildlife into the garden. The bird seed that the birds love is also a favorite food of squirrels.

Place bird feeders away from your vegetable garden area if possible, and be sure to clean up around them.  The smell of seeds and bits of fruit can really be attractive to squirrels.

Also, make sure that your garbage bins are closed to keep temptation away.  There is no sense in sending out a welcome mat if you want to keep squirrels at bay!

Give them an alternative food choice

This may seem like an oxymoron, but sometimes giving the squirrels their own food supply can be the answer.

If you have tried everything to keep squirrels away and they still keep returning to your garden, try setting up a distraction station somewhere in your yard that is some distance away from your veggies.

Set up a food station with squirrel tempting treats like sunflower seeds, nuts and other treats. This will attract the squirrels away from your vegetables and to other areas of the yard.

Just be sure the station is positioned well away from your edible vegetables. Don’t forget to keep water here too.  My entire crop of tomatoes each had one bite out of them and I am sure the squirrels were mainly thirsty that day.

Cages for Vegetables are natural squirrel repellents

Squirrels love vegetables, in particular corn. (My squirrel problem was never a problem until I decided to plant corn in the vegetable garden.)

If all else fails, cages may be your only option.

Photo Credit: Flickr: Hardworkinghippy

One of the best natural squirrel repellent ideas is simply to keep them out! The squirrels cannot eat when they can’t get into the vegetable area.  Think about making tall wire cages.

Be sure the garden beds have tops (bird netting works well) as well as sides, or the squirrels will just climb up and in. Row covers also work for smaller veggies.

A note on Predators.

Both hawks and owls love to prey on squirrels.  My husband is convinced that our squirrel population is so much higher because wooded land near by has been built up with houses and the owls are less plentiful.

Find out what you can about attracting owls and hawks to the area to see if this helps.

If you don’t have live owls living nearby, think about investing in some owl decoys. They are designed to scare away squirrels and other rodents.

Have you found other natural methods effective at keeping squirrels out of your garden? Share your natural squirrel repellent in the comments below!

Pin this post on Natural Squirrel Repellent Ideas

Would you like a reminder of this post for keeping squirrels out of your garden?  Just pin this image to one of your gardening boards on Pinterest. You can also watch the video on YouTube later, as well.

Admin Note: This post first appeared on the blog in April of 2017. I have updated the post with additional tips, more photos, a printable check list and a video for you to enjoy.

Active Time 30 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Difficulty easy

Estimated Cost $10 - $50

Materials

Tools

Instructions

NATURAL SQUIRREL REPELLENT IDEAS

  1. Hot pepper plants
  2. Cayenne pepper on the leaves of plants.
  3. Peppermint essential oil on cotton balls in the garden
  4. Garlic and vinegar spray (hard surfaces)
  5. Apple cider vinegar spray (hard surfaces)
  6. Motion detector lights
  7. Large statues in the garden
  8. High Frequency sound machines
  9. Cats and Dogs will keep squirrels away
  10. Squirrel traps to trap and move squirrels
  11. Move bird feeders away from vegetable garden
  12. Keep garbage bins away too
  13. Set up a squirrel feeding station for their own food supply
  14. Grow vegetables in cages.
  15. Plant bulbs that deter squirrels such as daffodils, hyacinths, allium, garlic, lily of the valley, peppermint and geraniums.

Notes

Set your printer to "fit to page" and print out this chart on heavy card stock

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How to Get Rid of Squirrels Without Harming Them

If you're looking for how to get rid of squirrels, chances are you've got intruders in your attic, or your plants may be looking more gnawed than usual. While squirrels look pretty cute and fluffy, they can easily become a nuisance in any of the above scenarios. And this trouble can quickly turn into a high cost if your home is damaged as a result. That's why, if you suspect that squirrels have made their way inside, you should deal with this matter as soon as possible. The problem is that, as most of us know, squirrels are very difficult to catch - they are fast, smart and can crawl through the smallest gaps. So what can you do if you have a protein problem but don't want to harm it? Here we will introduce you to some tips and tricks to keep squirrels at bay, whether they are in or near your home. Here's how to get rid of protein. If you suspect something more has taken up residence in your attic, learn how to get rid of raccoons.

Before we begin, you should always refer to your state's laws regarding protein handling. You may need a permit to use the traps, and there may also be restrictions on the use of toxic chemicals. None of the following methods use such chemicals. 1. Don't feed them. First, no matter how cute and fluffy they are, don't start feeding squirrels. This will only encourage them to return to your home. Also, look out for any sources of food in the yard that may inadvertently feed them, such as pet food bowls, bird feeders, or unprotected containers. Keep all food sources covered and out of reach. 2. Make your home inaccessible. If squirrels make their way into your territory, take the time to think about how they get there. If there is an overhanging tree near you, they may well use it. You can make and install a baffle around the trunk to keep the squirrel from climbing - you'll probably have to make your own as such designs seem limited on the internet. In addition, you can remove branches that provide access to your home. Be aware that squirrels can jump up to 7 feet from tree to tree, so a baffle alone may not be enough if there are other trees nearby. As a last resort, you can also remove the tree. 3. Attach the bird feeder. Your bird feeder is considered a food source, and if it attracts squirrels more often than birds, it defeats the purpose. Keep the bird feeder out of the reach of squirrels - this can be done in a number of ways. You can use a baffle such as this 3-piece metal spring device ($13.99, Amazon (Opens in a new tab)), or you can just swap out your feeder for a squirrel-proof design like this Perky-Pet Squirrel-Be-Gone bird feeder ($19.96, Amazon (Opens in new tab). You can also sprinkle the seeds with chili peppers - birds love the taste and squirrels will stay away. Cole's Flaming Squirrel Seed Sauce ($19.31, Amazon ) is a popular brand for this.4. Use scents. Another way to scare off squirrels is through their noses. Some smells repel squirrels, especially the smell of a natural predator. You can buy predator urine at local garden centers and home improvement stores, and it's even widely available online, such as this 100% Fox Urine predator urine ($34.67, Amazon ). All you have to do is "mark the territory" around the house, just like an animal would. Just remember to apply regularly. 5. Release the dog. If you've always wanted a dog, this is a good reason to get one. Dogs are natural predators of squirrels and love to chase them. So, if you often have a dog in your yard, squirrels are unlikely to come to you. 6. Apply repellants. If you don't like the smell of urine or the idea of ​​using it, you can of course opt for a patented squirrel repellant instead, such as Bonide Repels-All Animal Repellent ($12.82, Amazon ). You can get them in both spray and kibble form, and they often contain chili or mint residue to repel squirrels. In some cases, you can even apply this to your soil and bulbs for extra protection - refer to your manufacturer's instructions for guidance. Protect your plants. Your plants will most likely be another food source for squirrels - in fact, your entire garden will provide a smorgasbord of options. Squirrels will eat everything from fruits and vegetables to nuts, seeds, and bulbs, so your plants need some protection. You can invest in a greenhouse for your most valuable plants, but it needs to be of a strong, airtight design that squirrels can't get through. Alternatively, you can place a net or fence around your plants.8. Be selective with your plants. Squirrels love some plants and some hate them, so depending on what you choose, you can start or stop a squirrel infestation. Plant daffodils and mint to scare away squirrels. The bulb of the first is toxic to the squirrels, and the smell of the second they hate, so they will stay away from both. Proteins are also repelled by the aroma of allium, catnip and hyacinths. However, avoid tulips; it's a favorite on the menu.9. Motion detectors - Devices are available that emit ultrasound to repel squirrels. They can be placed both in the yard and at home - they are equipped with motion sensors, so they are activated only when motion is detected. They are widely available at home department stores and online, such as the Virine Mice Repellent plugin ($54.98, Amazon ). Alternatively, you can also use motion sensors connected to sprinklers to douse the squirrel when detected, such as this motion-activated Havahart Critter Ridder animal repellent and sprinkler (39dollars, Amazon (opens in a new tab)). 10. Keep your yard clean. While you may have closed off all obvious food sources, squirrels will still attract a neglected lawn. They provide plenty of hiding places. Not to mention that there will be hidden food sources in the grass itself. Take the time to tidy up your yard and rake the grass to remove any potential berries and nuts - here's how to rake leaves the easy way for a guide. If you have a fruit tree, make sure that any fallen fruit is also picked up as soon as possible. 11. Catch and move the squirrel. Finally, if one squirrel is causing a persistent problem, you can of course use a live trap. Although, as mentioned earlier, you should check your local state laws to see if you need a permit to do so. Set the trap in an area where squirrels frequent and check it at least twice a day. After you've caught a squirrel, move it at least 10 miles away from home before releasing it so it can't find its way back. You can use Havahart's small 2-door humane trap to capture and release live animals ($19. 98, Amazon (opens in a new tab)) for that. If all else fails, and the protein problem persists, it's time to turn to a professional. You also need to make sure that any damage to your home is repaired and sealed as soon as possible to prevent other squirrels from settling in. Are you also dealing with unwanted guests in your backyard? Here's how to get rid of moles without harming them. You can also learn how to get rid of fruit flies quickly if you have them at home and how to get rid of mice.

mechanical traps, ultrasonic traps and chemicals

When meeting this furry animal in the forest, many look at him with affection. Funny squirrels sometimes even take a treat from their hands.

Squirrel on a tree

But if these fluffy robbers have settled in your area and started destroying the planted nuts, spoiling the fruits, tenderness disappears and irritation appears.

It is even worse when the animal settles in the house, in the attic or in another secluded corner. Then he chews on everything.

We have to figure out how to get rid of squirrels on our own: we will present the most effective ways to fight in our article.

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