If you see deter squirrels from garden with half of their petals missing or other garden plants with chewed leaves and roots exposed, a squirrel probably is to blame. It’s easy to deter these scavengers from your vegetables, flowers and fruits by using common household items or plant-specific repellents. You can also try placing a fake owl or raptor perch in your yard to attract natural predators that prey on squirrels, and use mesh cloth or netting to protect potted plants and individual gardens.
Peppers are a popular squirrel repellent because they hate the taste and scent of capsaicin (the chemical in chili peppers). Sprinkle ground or flakes around the soil of your plants, and spray them with a solution of water, crushed hot peppers, dish soap and apple cider vinegar. Make sure to reapply the solution regularly, especially after rain washes it away. You can also try making a homemade pepper spray with cayenne pepper and apple cider vinegar; remember to wear rubber gloves when handling capsaicin, and don’t spray plants that you plan to eat.
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Like many other animals and insects, squirrels dislike the smell of mint, and a border planted with mint-scented plants can deter them from raiding your vegetable garden. Other good options are nasturtiums, mustard and marigolds. Squirrels also don’t like allium plants such as daffodils, snowdrops and grape hyacinths, or the strong scent of crown imperial bulbs.
You can also try installing motion-sensor sprinklers near your plants; this will startle them when they walk by and discourage them from returning for another attempt. You can also deter squirrels by keeping your trash cans tightly closed, and not leaving food out or other tempting foods around the house or yard.