Dang squirrels are digging up my potted plants :E

[petek]

Question..How do I keep squirrels from digging up my flowers? I don't want to use any traps or poisons and I've tried using chili powder/cayenne powder etc with no luck.

Thanks in advance

P

[Isolda]

Our CSA uses a statue of a snarling coyote to deter all sorts of nasty pets. It works. The thing is so realistic looking that I was afraid to go out to collect my beans and herbs one day until I realized it wasn't moving.

At home, my son uses a BB gun. Fortunately he has bad aim because I do not want to have to deal with squirrel and chipmunk corpses.

[petek]

"Our CSA uses a statue of a snarling coyote to deter all sorts of nasty pets"

do you think a lifesize statue of a snarling Yorkshire terrier would work? I don't want to take up too much space on my deck... :D

[DonShirer]

And just when I thought I had no squirrel problems, one managed to shin up the curved iron pole that I hang my Goldfinch feeder from and ravage the thistle seeds in it. My wife frowned on BB guns, so I attached a squirrel deterrent consisting of a pivoting sheet of aluminum to the pole and he(or she) hasn't been back since.

[inaplasticcup]

Sounds like it's time for some squirrel gumbo...

[petek]

mmmmmm..squirrel gumbo.. :D But seriously,the plastic mesh is working like a charm(so far).
It's a little unsightly,but well worth it.

[inaplasticcup]

Haha. I just noticed * :E *. Brilliant.

[petek]

This one's better :oE it's more vermin like...

[p.j.]

Last year a lady at the nursery I frequent suggested putting lots of small rocks/ large pebbles on the surface of the dirt in a pot I hang in a tree. The squirrels seemed to leave it alone after I did that. This year, the method is not working as well. I am going to put more rocks in tomorrow.
Apparently the squirrels don't like the feel of the rocks on their paws. (I find that hard to believe, but give it a try).
I also used mothballs many years ago, with varying degrees of success. I quit because I didn't want to poison our feral cats.
Good luck.

[Eldon Kreider]

Some years ago I started using a layer of landscape fabric topped with wood chip mulch in my planter boxes to deter squirrels. You really need to make sure no soil shows and may need to place a few rocks strategically, but it has pretty well stopped squirrels from digging in the planter boxes. I doubt that this would work in smaller pots, though. A side benefit is reduced watering.

[petek]

Update:
Got some plastic "chicken wire" from Home Depot and swaddled my plant with it.
Take that..stupid squirrels!! :-D

[DonShirer]

I was getting raided by both rabbits and chipmunks, so I built two raised beds and put chicken wire plus netting covers over them. That (and liquid fence) stopped the rabbits, but the resourceful chipmunks just tunneled under the bed. Today I found a bunch of onions and lettuce decimated. Next year I guess I'll have to put the chicken wire under the plants too.

[sarahcooks]

I use Liquid Fence.

[petek]

Thanks sarah! I don't think this particular product is available up here in Canada,but I did see something called critter ridder,maybe I'll give it a shot.