A squirrel might appear cute and cuddly at a distance. When squirrels enter the yard and dig and eat plants or birdseed, they’re less valuable and become an issue. Also, when they get inside your house, you’ve got a real problem with your hands! The squirrel is challenging to break (no, no pun meant). They’re quick and can be clever, which is why keeping them from your yard and home is generally more challenging to do than it is. However, some ways to ensure your home is safe and deter squirrels off your land.
What Type Of Damage Are Squirrels Responsible For?
There are a variety of squirrels, but all of them seem to like pine and fir trees.
If you have a tree or a tree close to you could put you within the vicinity of these rodents with a large population. Unfortunately, they might consider this an open invitation to their house and your food!
The most crucial issue with destruction by squirrels concerns structural damages.
Squirrels are apex predators with long, slim bodies that easily fit in small spaces. Their hands, similar to ours, have fingers that aren’t technically finger-like yet let them grasp anything they’d like.
This is the entire process of how squirrels could enter your house and damage it.
- Siding whether the siding has been affected or not, the squirrels continue to chew the siding after they have been inside. Their holes are large enough to let water enter, which could cause water damage or rot.
- Insulation When they’re over the siding, they move into the insulation and are more than content to make a home. If you’ve ever had an infestation of squirrels before, you’ve probably heard them scratching around on the walls.
- Wiring The rodents are so curious that nothing can keep them from chewing, even the wires on your walls. Chewing can help squirrels maintain their dental health since their teeth grow throughout their lives.
Outside the house, squirrels can be an annoyance to gardeners and bird areas. They eat away at the soil, eat fruits and vegetables, take away fruit trees, and conduct an attack upon bird feeds.
HOW to get rid of squirrels Naturally
There are numerous methods to eliminate squirrels living in your garden naturally, including using odors that they dislike, water sprays, and ultrasound. None of these strategies will cause harm or death to squirrels, but using a combination of these techniques will discourage squirrels. The most effective way to eliminate squirrels is to do it naturally. Take a dog or a large, energetic cat.
What is the most effective way to REPEL the SQUIRRELS?
The pungent smells are an excellent method to deter squirrels (just because they help eliminate Raccoons and discourage pigeons). Certain smells can cause squirrels to wrinkle their noses. They are said to be averse to the smell of peppermint and coffee grounds, or you could create your recipe using vinegar, garlic, onions, vinegar, or peppermint oil for spraying on your garden.
Pepper and chili may make them hesitant, so that you can try a sprinkle of both. When planning to plant your borders, be aware of the plants that squirrels don’t like, for example, onion-smelling plants in the family of alliums, strong-scented hyacinths, and lily of the valley.
Why do squirrels love Gardens?
Squirrels are awe-inspiring eaters and will treat almost everything in the garden as food. They are known for their love of acorns. However, squirrels aren’t fussy rodents. The tiny creatures can eat vegetables from your garden, flower bulbs or flower bulbs, and the bird’s seed you may throw in your yard, lawn, or green. Even household garbage can draw squirrels to your home.
Humane Techniques to Keep Squirrels from Gardens
There are various humane, natural methods to rid yourself of squirrels. Here are some strategies that are efficient and safe to deal with a squirrel problem without causing physical harm to them:
- Include hot peppers. The squirrels don’t like the smell and flavor of the capsaicin in the hot peppers. Make use of this natural repellent against squirrels by sprinkling some hot sauce, cayenne pepper, and chili pepper flakes over the soil. Alternately, plant hot chili peppers. The squirrels will not even touch the plant.
- Cover the garden. Secure your garden from squirrels by putting up row covers, bird netting, or chicken wire. You can also line the soil’s bottom with a cloth made of hardware. These options will shield plants from squirrels while providing sunlight and easy irrigation.
- Make squirrel-proof bird feeders that are squirrel-proof. You can make bird feeders squirrel-proof by switching the feeder. The squirrels are fond of sunflower seeds but not of safflower seeds, which is why switching to sunflower seeds will prove advantageous. Install a squirrel baffle (a cone with a unique design) to prevent squirrels away from your bird feeder. A baffle acts as a barrier so the squirrel cannot pass through.
- Get a decoy. Owls made of resin or plastic or snakes made of rubber in the garden will deter squirrels and stop squirrels from gaining access to the park. Keep them moving daily and include sound-makers in the decoys, if possible.
How to Identify Squirrel Damage to the Garden
- Are spring bulbs eaten? There’s a good chance you’re encountering chipmunks, squirrels, and groundhogs. They love digging out spring bulbs during their foraging in the fall to eat them and make holes to store their foraged nut.
- Damaged or missing plants in the garden are also an indication of squirrels. In many cases, squirrels steal fruit and vegetables that are ripe for snacking on, particularly juicy and soft fruits like tomatoes, squash peppers, cucumbers, and melons. However, they rarely even eat everything!
- If you’re growing vegetables or flowers inside containers, you might find someone exploring your container’s soil. Chipmunks and squirrels are known to search for insects and other food items in containers and can cause plants to be rooted. If the weather has been arid, they might also be digging to access the wet soil.
- Squirrels do not just eat your garden but also the bird feeders as well. If you observe your bird’s food going missing rather quickly or accumulating under your feeder, you might be dealing with a squirrel issue.
The Risks of Having Squirrels in Your Yard
The tiny creatures can do more harm than you consider, so you must be sure to keep squirrels out of your yard and home.
Tree Stress
Squirrels do not just consume the fruit or buds of your tree; they can also gnaw at the bark. Excessing this could cause stress on your trees, destroying them and even death. Unfortunately, young trees and saplings cannot grow if their bark is removed.
Plant Destruction
When a squirrel steals the nuts or fruits of your tree, it’ll attempt to spread them across your lawn. It’s not just a matter of ruining the appearance of your property. However, it also poses an apprehension to the flowers or plants trying to grow. If squirrels are allowed to enter your yard, they may root up the flowers or plants in your garden and then eat the plants or flowers.
Home Repairs
Like all rodents, squirrels are also fond of chewing. If they have the chance, their teeth are tiny and can cause severe damage to your house. They could cut through wires, causing fire hazards and even cause damage to the attic’s insulation. The worst part is that once squirrels have entered your home, they may start nesting and multiplying quickly.
Tips to Keep Squirrels Out
How can you keep squirrels out of your property? Here are some tips and tricks to assist!
Grow a variety of squirrel-proof Flowers
It’s surprising to discover that there are some plants that a squirrel is likely to avoid. Although squirrels aren’t usually particular about their choices, consider planting one or two of these to prevent them from moving away out of your yard:
- Daffodils
- Fritillaries
- Geraniums
- Hyacinth
- Galanthus
Peppermint Oil Naturally Repels Squirrels
In addition to having many health advantages, essential oils have also been found to deter pests from your home and the garden.
The essential oil of peppermint, in particular, is a scourge for squirrels. To them, the smell is overwhelming, and they’ll try to avoid it whenever possible.
You can choose two methods to utilize peppermint at home or in your garden: either as a spray or even soaked into fabric or cotton.
Sprays are the best option for keeping pests away from gardens. However, cloth and cotton balls can be a fantastic alternative to fill holes that rodents could have made in your home. Soak cotton balls or cloth directly in peppermint oil, and utilize them to block any spots that aren’t wanted.
For the gardens, this oil needs to be diluted for use in the park. For every 16oz of Water, include 20 drops of essential oil. There is no need to add soap or vinegar; however, you must be vigilant about your garden and take care to treat it in the event of pests returning.
If you’re not keen on creating an essential oil scent, sprays such as Mighty Mint’s Peppermint Oil Rodent Repellent Spray can be found on the internet and perform just as well as chemical ones.
Get rid of food sources & Water.
It’s not a surprise to notice that the trees around your yard produce fruit and nuts for squirrels to throw away. There’s no reason to cut down a healthy tree to keep squirrels from your yard! But, as you’ve learned, water and food sources such as bird feeders and bird seeds can attract squirrels. The best solution is to eliminate these food sources so that the squirrel isn’t a reason to continue to linger. If removing them isn’t possible, consider making your feeders squirrel-proof to stop them from eating things that aren’t intended for them.