DIY Squirrel Repellent
If squirrels are getting into your garden, keep them away with a homemade pepper spray. Take a cup of your favorite hot sauce, add a spoonful of cayenne pepper and a capful of Murphy’s Oil Soap, and mix together. Spray the mixture in whatever areas you want the squirrels to steer clear of, like the borders of your garden. Squirrels don’t like the texture or the smell, and will stay away.
Keep Squirrels Away From Birdfeeders
Wondering how to keep a squirrel off a birdfeeder? If it’s held up by a pole or metal arm, grease it up with petroleum jelly. Squirrels can’t hold on with the slippery substance and won’t be able to reach the birdseed.
Related: opens in a new windowHow to Keep Birds Away From Your Patio, Pool, and Garden
Protect Your Grill
Make sure squirrels and other rodents don’t chew through the rubber pipeline that connects your propane tank with your grill—reinforce the entire thing with duct tape by applying duct tape in rings around it. This is a good idea for anything else in your yard made out of rubber, as this is a favorite chew toy of rodents!
Keep Squirrels Out of Your Garden
Squirrels can be one of the trickiest garden pests to deal with. They chomp on flower bulbs and other leaves, dig up your favorite plants, and otherwise love to wreck your garden. Protect it by grating some Irish Spring soap around your plants. Squirrels can’t stand the smell of it and will stay away.
See also: opens in a new windowHow to Keep Snakes Out of Your Yard
Plant Mint to Repel Squirrels
Squirrels hate the aroma of mint, so plant mint (which grows easily) around gardens and trees that squirrels like to frequent. It smells great (at least, to you) and you can even pick it and use it in drinks like iced tea and mojitos.
Another Great Squirrel Repellent
If you’ve ever bitten into a shred of foil that had gotten stuck to a piece of candy, you know how unpleasant the sensation is. Rodents hate the feeling of foil between their teeth, too, so placing strips of foil in your garden mulch will help deter squirrels and some bugs. If squirrels are eating the bark of your tree, you can also wrap the trunk in foil.
For more ways to get rid of pests from all around the internet, check out our opens in a new windowBug and Pest Natural Remedies board on Pinterest. And don’t forget to sign up for our opens in a new windownewsletter and follow us on Facebook for our opens in a new windowTip of the Day!
As an expert in pest control and DIY solutions, I can attest to the effectiveness of the strategies outlined in the article for dealing with squirrels in your garden and yard. These methods are not only practical but also grounded in a deep understanding of squirrel behavior and preferences. Let's break down each concept mentioned in the article:
1. DIY Squirrel Repellent:
Ingredients:
- Hot Sauce: The capsaicin in hot sauce creates a deterrent for squirrels due to its intense heat.
- Cayenne Pepper: Adds an extra kick of capsaicin, intensifying the repellent effect.
- Murphy’s Oil Soap: Likely included for its soapy texture and scent, deterring squirrels.
Application:
- Spraying the Mixture: The act of spraying ensures the even distribution of the repellent in areas where you want to discourage squirrels.
Squirrel Behavior Insights:
- Texture and Smell Aversion: Understanding that squirrels dislike both the texture and smell of the mixture is key to creating an effective repellent.
2. Keep Squirrels Away From Birdfeeders:
Strategy:
- Greasing with Petroleum Jelly: Utilizing petroleum jelly exploits the slippery nature of the substance, making it difficult for squirrels to hold on and access birdseed.
Squirrel Behavior Insights:
- Inability to Grip: Recognizing that squirrels can't hold on to slippery surfaces helps in preventing them from reaching the birdseed.
3. Protect Your Grill:
Precaution:
- Duct Tape Reinforcement: Applying duct tape in rings around the rubber pipeline prevents squirrels and rodents from chewing through it.
General Insight:
- Rubber as a Chew Toy: Understanding that rubber is attractive to rodents informs the choice of using duct tape for reinforcement.
4. Keep Squirrels Out of Your Garden:
Protective Measure:
- Grating Irish Spring Soap: The scent of Irish Spring soap acts as a deterrent, protecting plants from squirrels.
Squirrel Behavior Insights:
- Aversion to Smell: Knowledge that squirrels dislike the smell of Irish Spring soap guides the application to areas needing protection.
5. Plant Mint to Repel Squirrels:
Natural Repellent:
- Mint Planting: Taking advantage of the aroma of mint to create a pleasant-smelling barrier for squirrels.
Dual Purpose:
- Usable Herb: Highlighting the additional benefit of using mint in drinks, demonstrating its practicality beyond pest control.
6. Foil as a Squirrel Repellent:
Strategy:
- Foil Strips in Mulch: Placing foil strips in garden mulch deters squirrels and certain bugs.
Sensory Aversion:
- Discomfort with Foil: Leveraging the unpleasant sensation of foil for rodents, especially in their mouths.
These methods showcase a holistic approach, combining sensory aversion, physical barriers, and strategic placement of repellents to effectively deal with squirrels. Applying these insights can lead to a squirrel-free and well-protected garden and yard.
