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alextb

By Alextb

London, England

I found evidence that a squirrel had been digging around in my pots this morning on my way out, and when I came back I saw a squirrel digging around in one before moving on to a trough planter, both with new baby winter pansies in them.

Can someone suggest a cheap and effective way of deterring them?

I do like squirrels, just not when they dig up and make a mess in my pots.




Answers

 

I often bury bulbs and put a piece of chicken wire over them and then cover with soil. this doesnt stop the digging but it stops the getting the bulbs. At this time of year they are also burying nuts etc for winter.
the family in the trees at mine have emptied the peanut feeder in lrss than 3 hrs and buried them all over.

31 Aug, 2011

 

One or two squirrels not to bad, i've tryed most things to stop them, but is now a game. i've counted 27 squirrels last week. lots of holes and no bird food for the birds, so it may be squirrel pie

31 Aug, 2011

 

What a pain squirrels are at this time of year - as soon as you replant a pot or tub, they're in there burying conkers, scrabbling to see if you've put any bulbs in they might fancy eating, drives you bonkers. Only solution I found was old fridge racks - I had 2 or 3 knocking about, so I laid them on top and tied string onto them, passing it beneath the trough and tying the other side. The only thing that worked, frankly, they chewed through the chicken wire in less than 5 minutes... Not attractive, and you have to remove them as the plants get bigger, but by then they've often given up.

31 Aug, 2011

 

I found chilli flakes put them off for a while, but after a time they blow/ get washed away.

31 Aug, 2011

 

I hate the bl***y things they ARE vermin! Only remedies I have found are carpet gripper (which has small nails poking through a wooden strip) buried under bark. Rose thorn cuttings. and gravel or slate dressing on top of container compost. I have resolved that next season I'm not using bark as a top dressing as it seems to attract them even more!

31 Aug, 2011

 

I have a few rose cuttings with thorns, but I am not keen on using carpet gripper, as the sound of a load of nails on wood sounds a little cruel. The thorns will just give a bit of a prick.

I like the squirrels, so may just use rose cuttings and look in to a short term solution of chilli flakes or powder.

31 Aug, 2011

 

Scatter a few old fashioned moth balls, they absolutely hate the smell. Works for pigeons and magpies too.

1 Sep, 2011

 

Thanks Anns, that sounds a lot kinder than hurting them.

1 Sep, 2011

 

Just to let you know that I have solved this problem using something non-toxic.

I have added a photo under the question of a spray I bought from B&Q, and best of all, it is palletable by birds, but disliked by squirrels.

I like the idea it does not harm them. It says to use the spray on and around the affected area every 48 hours until they move on.

5 Sep, 2011

 

Thanks Alex - but, does it work?

5 Sep, 2011

 

We'll have to wait and see. It certainly has chilli peppers in it. I got a small bit of spray blown my way and the taste and burn in my mouth was exactly the same. Luickily it was a very small amount of spray and it is non-toxic.

You only have to wash your hands due to the irritation the chilli pepper extract could cause to mouth nose and eyes.

5 Sep, 2011

How do I say thanks?

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