Help! Ground Squirrels are Wrecking My Garden – Any Tips?

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Asked By GardenNinja93 On

Hey everyone! I'm a broke college student who got a garden plot at school, hoping to enjoy growing some veggies. I planted the usual California favorites like tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, chard, peppers, and sunflowers. Unfortunately, I've been hit hard by nearby ground squirrels. They've completely wiped out my squash, sunflowers, and cucumbers, munching through 75% of my tomatoes and all my peppers! I've tried using chicken wire, covering their holes, and even placing pots around my plants, but nothing seems to work. I'm feeling pretty defeated since gardening used to bring me joy. Are there any affordable, non-lethal ways to deal with these pesky squirrels?

1 Answer

Answered By PeppermintPatty88 On

I totally get your frustration! I've had a similar issue, and I found that using peppermint oil and clove oil works wonders. Squirrels can't stand the smell. I also made chicken wire baskets for my smaller plants, but those seemed to lose effectiveness once the plants got bigger.

SquirrelSleuth42 -

That’s a great tip! Do you put the oil on the plants or just around them?

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