Deterring Squirrels - Knowledgebase Question

Action, MA
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Question by karendunn
March 2, 1998
Last year our vegetable garden was devastated by squirrels-- they ate everything. I'm looking for the list of ideas, short of killing them, to arm myself for this year. So far, I know of: plastic owls or snakes and fox urine. What are other alternatives?


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Answer from NGA
March 2, 1998
OK...squirrels are tough, but there may be some help for you.

The easiest would probably be to cover the soil around planting beds with sheets of 1-2 inch diameter wire mesh. Squirrels don't like to walk on it.

You can also try pruning trees so the lowest branches are at least 6 feet above ground and placing 2 foot wide metal bands around the tree trunks, positioning them so the bottom of each band is at least 2 feet off the ground. This will discourage squirrels from taking up residence in your yard.

I realize these aren't really simple solutions...but it's not a simple problem! Are you sure that squirrels are the only culprit? Could you also be having trouble with a woodchuck, or a family of rabbits?

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