The Best Ways to Keep Protein Away From Your Potted Plants

Most gardeners know that squirrels can be a threat to just about any potted plant. They like to dig into the soil to hide food they don’t eat right away, so in addition to digging up your plants and knocking pots over, these furry tailed rascals often accidentally plant other seeds in your containers. If they’ve taken advantage of your porch or patio as a convenient place to store groceries, they’re also likely to tip things over and generally cause havoc. Luckily, there are a few simple steps you can take to discourage squirrels from ruining your garden pots.

Build a barrier

As with most pests, the only way to completely eliminate squirrels from your potted plants is to build a barrier to protect them. Making a “cage” out of bird netting , wire mesh , or using ready-made potted plant protection that fits over the pot will keep squirrels at bay. Wire mesh can be bent into a cone or cube shape and will hold if its area is not too large. Bird netting must be secured to stakes to support it. You can also use soil protection wire mesh to cover only the soil, preventing furry invaders from digging it up. This type of barrier is the only reliable way to keep squirrels at bay, but there are a few other simple things to try if a caged plant isn’t your style.

Use a layer of protection

Ways to discourage squirrels from digging into the soil include using wood shavings on top of soil in a pot, or using coconut fiber that has been cut to the shape of a pot and laid on top of the soil. They are not completely reliable and a persistent squirrel will eventually bypass them, but they are a good deterrent when combined with other methods.

Add some spice to your soil

If you can’t cover the soil, you can spray it with capsaicin-infused water by boiling cayenne, seeded hot peppers, or black pepper in water, letting it cool, straining it, and pouring it into a spray bottle. This homemade squirrel repellant will repel squirrels as they don’t like the taste or smell of hot peppers, but be aware that the mixture will be unpleasant if it comes into contact with your skin or if you inhale the spray, and it will burn if you get it in your eyes. The best practice when applying homemade squirrel killer to the soil of your potted plants is to wear goggles and gloves. Be sure to label the spray bottle so you don’t confuse it with regular water. If you don’t want to mix your own repellent, you can use a ready-made repellent , following the same safety precautions when applying it.

blind them

Shiny and moving objects sometimes scare squirrels away from a certain area, because movement and shadows trigger a natural predatory instinct in a squirrel. These things may not last forever, but can be effective throughout the season when combined with other methods. Turntables, spinners, old CDs hanging from a string, mirrors or other blinding devices are all cheap and easy squirrel deterrents.

Batten down the hatches

If your main concern is squirrels knocking over pots, you can attach them to a railing or fence, or use a window box. With plastic pots, using one or two screws with a washer through the bottom of the pot and into the surface they sit on will work. If you have more fragile pots, you can use a nylon nut and bolt through the drain hole and into the surface the pot is on. The softer hardware won’t hurt the pot, and the waterproof nylon material is perfect for outdoor use. Building stability will keep the squirrels from knocking over the pot, no matter how hard they try.