Squirrels are digging in my plant pots. HELP!

20 years ago

We have a very large yard and a large deck on a lake in NE LA and squirrels are digging in our potted plants and flowers. They are destroying some of them. Does anyone know how to keep them out of our pots?

Featured Answer

Wilson54

20 years ago

They are going to HAVE to associate pain with your plants. The dangerous ground red pepper might be better than cayenne as it is stronger but a nice well made (not toylike) pellet rifle (Beeman, RWS) will drop them dead as a hammer. They will learn via their dead brethren that your "area" is verbotten. They are not stupid. Hope this helps, Wilson

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Comments (14)

Papa_LA
20 years ago
I have found that a little blood meal sprinkled around is very helpful. Don't put much because of the high nitrogen content. But, then, it does not take much.
live_oak_lady
20 years ago
Try cayenne pepper. Too bad I didn't put it in my pots in which I had planted my rare acorns. The little devils worked their way into the cage and destroyed everyone. I have used cayenne pepper and black pepper. Moth balls, also.
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Ahh, squirrels. I live in an old 'hood thick with giant Pin Oaks and equally thick with squirrels. Individually cut 'lips' or strips of hardware cloth/mesh (if planting seedlings) that sit just inside the container work, or put plastic mesh or critter netting (if planting seeds). But I didn't want to go to that much trouble, so I dug up a bulk container of cayenne pepper powder at the dollar store and just sprinkled some on, and just inside, the lip of each pot, and that did the trick, they left the containers alone after a week or two. Squirrels also learned to avoid my suet feeders because I buy the kind laced with hot pepper (they destroyed the unlaced cakes I bought at first). Downside is that you have to re-sprinkle some powder after each rain, but for a couple of bucks and not much work, it saved my containers. Works well for newly planted individual perennials in a bed too, but the pepper trick will not really work for a large garden of veggie seedlings, that requires bird netting all 'round.
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katiebythegate
19 years ago
I don't know about the pepper idea. With our heavy rains, we'd have to constantly reapply. But the squirrels have left the birdseed alone that I've treated with cayenne powder; so, it seems it could be an effective deterrent.

My parents are prolific gardeners, and they love to feed the wildlife. The red squirrels were never a problem. Once grey squirrels moved into the area, they seemed to chase the reds away. Now, there seem to be all greys along with "hybrid" squirrels...greys with red tails, for example. Due to the damage they cause in the garden, we've all begun to feel rather murderous towards the creatures we used to enjoy watching. They don't seem to be eating the plants, just digging them up and knocking them off of things.

Once the greys came in, they started digging in all the potted plants...mainly uprooting them. They also plant acorns fairly deeply in the pots. They knocked all the bromeliads down that my parents had hung from brackets here and there along the trunks of trees in the garden.

Nothing deterred the squirrels from their mischief and destruction...until my parents started covering the exposed soil in the pots with oval river stones they've collected on trips to the mountains. No more acorn seedlings or uprooted plants.

As for the bromeliads, I think my parents plan to find a firmer way to mount the bromeliads so that they can't be knocked off--rather than hanging the bromeliads from brackets and lattices, wiring them to the items so that they can't be knocked or tugged off.

Good luck!
jim2k
19 years ago
Try the pepper it should work you may try feeding them with corn they would like that I enjoy watching them as well as plants Good luck Jim
tamivileine
18 years ago
I pop mine with a bb gun. Don't kill 'em, but it stings like Hell - they've not only left the pots, but also the nearby bird feeders. Only EVERY here-and-there a brave probably 'newbie' tries it.

Worked when hot pepper didn't...

sea ya
tami
sugarhill
18 years ago
Take plastic forks and stick them in the pots tine side up close enough that the squirrels can't walk between them. That has kept squirrels out of my planters.

An alternative: When you are planting, place chicken wire on top of the soil and cut a hole in the chicken wire to put the plant through. Cover with mulch.
HanArt
18 years ago
When the digging becomes a real problem in potted plants or the garden I use Katie's method. Scatter river rocks on top of the soil in potted plants or strategically place larger rocks around plants in the garden. Works like a charm!
rcalhoun
18 years ago
I've used bamboo skewers inserted with the pointy end facing out to keep cats from using my beds as restrooms, I'd assume thst would work on Squirrels also. I handfeed squirrels in my back yard and have found them to be little problem, of course I'm not plantng rare acorns.
bayou10
18 years ago
Try Flaked Red Pepper (like you put on pizza) it doesn't dissolve as easily as the ground stuff.
mikalaka
12 years ago
I realize this is 6 years later in this thread, but maybe someone else will answer. I have a squirrel problem (digging in my pots) and am just afraid to pot hot pepper flakes. Won't that burn the plants?? I have citrus trees in pots, among other things. Just worried when I start watering them and the flakes go into the soil if it'll damage the roots.
Catface7_gmail_com
12 years ago
These poss have been so helpful. I'm trying the stone method right now but I've got little sprouts coming up an I don't want to squish them, so on those I'm trying the pepper flakes. So far, so good. The little buggers used to come every night, but it's been 3 days and the plants are untouched! Thank you!
PRO
Where It Belongs
7 years ago
I have found a simple and effective way to keep squirrels out that costs very little, is eco-friendly to the squirrels, your garden, your children and your pets. http://1organizedmomma.blogspot.ca/2016/07/flowerpots.html
Jo
4 years ago
I know this is an old post but is there some kind of cover I could purchase or make for my raised garden container that would stop the squirrels from getting into the soil?
Thanks