Squirrels are always an adorable sighting. You can see them everywhere, where trees are, trying to stock up on food. However, no matter how cute they are, squirrels have the annoying habit of digging around in potted plants, damaging your greenies, and making a mess.
Luckily, there are easy and even harmless, toxic-free measures you can take to keep your garden safe. If these furry visitors have been driving you nuts, we’re here to tell you how to keep squirrels out of potted plants and have a peaceful backyard again.
Why Do Squirrels Dig in Potted Plants
To put it simply, squirrels are just trying to do what they always do: store food or search for some more. They’ll dig around for one of these reasons: hide their precious stocks or see if there’s anything good in your pretty pots.
They are attracted to potting soil, as it tends to be fluffier and easier to work in than ground soil, which is much more compacted.
How to Keep Squirrels out of Potted Plants
No matter how much these rodents have been driving you crazy, there’s no need to turn to violence. Luckily, there are plenty of safe and easy ways to scare these tricksters away. Although it’s their nature to walk around freely, and we must respect it, there are harmless ways to make your garden less appealing and not lose your sanity in the process.
Flower Pots
If you’re wondering how to keep squirrels out of flower pots or other smaller pots, opt for measures that focus on adding things to the soil. This creates a protection perimeter that focuses only on that singular plant.
- Use stones to stop squirrels from digging in flower pots. Your greenies can be protected with stones, pebbles, or small gravel so the squirrels don’t know there’s dirt underneath. Also, this method offers your garden an aesthetic bonus. Just make sure not to make layers thicker than 1 inch (2.5 cm), and that the rocks are not too big so it doesn’t compress the soil and create watering and root issues.
- Ground coffee and cayenne pepper are great natural repellents that can be sprinkled lightly on top of the soil to keep these rodents away. It’s safe for the plants, and the smell is very unpleasant for squirrels. You can mix the spices up to create a stronger repellent. Garlic powder and chili flakes also work, but for a foolproof way, you can also use fox or coyote urine. One bonus is that spices can also work for other intruders, like raccoons.
- Bone meal is actually a two-in-one solution to keep squirrels out of your potted plants. It is great for your plants, and squirrels hate it. Mix it with your potting soil, and it will add vitamins and nutrients for your plants while scaring these unwanted visitors away. Just beware that bone meal can be toxic to other animals like cats and dogs, so it might not be the best solution if you have pets.
- Speaking of pets, if you have one or access to some dog hair, this can be an easy and free way of keeping squirrels out of flower pots. The smell of animal hair works wonders with these trespassers, and all you have to do is tuck some dog hair into the top layer of soil or under whatever mulch you might be using. You can even use your own hair.
Deck Planters
For deck planters, which are generally larger and often serve as home to several different plants, we suggest strategies with a wider range or ones that are easier to perform multiple times.
- Use fresh mint, garlic, and cayenne pepper to make a DIY, non-toxic spray to repel squirrels. Muddle about a handful of fresh mint leaves, add two tablespoons of garlic powder or four large garlic cloves and add two tablespoons of cayenne pepper. Cover everything with about 500 g of boiling water, mix everything together, and leave to rest for at least 24 hours. After that, strain it into a spray bottle and mist the leaves of your plants. The smell will deter these critters.
- Another DIY spray recipe is two tablespoons of black pepper, two tablespoons of cayenne pepper, one chopped jalapeno pepper, and one chopped onion. These need to be boiled for about 20 minutes and then strained. Pour this concoction into a spray bottle and use it to spray the soil around your plants, but make sure to use this with care, as it can irritate your eyes and skin. There are store-bought options if you’re not in the mood to create the sprays yourself.
- Plant more flowers. Mix in some flowers that squirrels don’t like with the rest of your plants, like marigolds, nasturtiums, and mustard flowers. Alliums and citronella can also do the trick and even scare off some pesky insects. These plants also benefit some of your plants, especially if you have some vegetables in the garden, and will offer some visual interest with their colorful flowers. This works at keeping squirrels out of planters because they can’t take their smell. Besides, if you don’t want to mix them in your current containers, you can always have them in smaller individual pots and place them strategically around your garden.
- Squirting water, either by hand or with a motion-activated sprinkler, can be an easy (although a bit mean) way to keep squirrels out of planters. They will avoid your property if they start associating it with getting wet. If you opt for the sprinklers, these add the bonus of watering your garden in the process.
- Shiny objects like reflective tape or pinwheels can make your garden a bit more festive and colorful while keeping the rodents away. Squirrels despise shiny and reflective objects, especially if you can use things that also create noise, like windchimes or empty cans. These are also good at deterring other unwanted visitors, like pigeons. The only downside is that they might create noise that might be annoying to you or your neighbors as well.
Other Garden Pots
There are also a few other options to protect potted plants from squirrels that can be applied to different types of pots and gardens according to specific individual needs and personal preferences.
- You can create a physical barrier with chicken wire or plastic wrapping to keep squirrels away and keep them from digging. You can either place a layer on the soil when you plant and help the shoots out once they’ve sprouted or wrap the pot to a considerable height and create a sort of cage so they are less prone to digging. Aesthetically, this is a less attractive solution, although very effective.
- Bamboo skewers or any other sharp and pointy skewer will deter these rodents from digging as they will stay away from potentially dangerous surfaces, jumping back and taking their business elsewhere. The more ground you cover, the less they’ll have an opening where they can be comfortable digging. Other utensils like old forks could also work.
- You can opt for an ultrasonic device that can repel squirrels. These devices work by emitting sounds in frequencies that humans can’t hear, with some being put underground while others are staked into the pot and go off once movement is detected, scaring the squirrel. You’ll have to be vigilant, though. More often than not, your pets will not care for these sounds, but if you see them acting differently once the device is up, it’s best to change strategies and opt for other measures.
- If you’re an animal lover and you’re thinking of getting a pet, an interesting option can also be getting a cat. An active feline will play catch with not just mice and flies but also with any squirrel that gets in its living area. Even if your pet is not much of a chaser, the smell and presence of a potential predator are enough to scare off plenty of pests. Cat pee is also a potent deterrent, but if you’re more of a dog person, don’t worry; the same principles apply.
- You can always make sure their food stocks are pretty full. Offering them food will make them less interested in searching for it in your planters. Place a feeder and fill it up, and you may even attract other wildlife, such as beautiful birds, into your garden.
How to Keep Squirrels out of Potted Plants Naturally (Organic Ways)
We firmly believe that organic, natural ways are enough to keep your garden safe, and it’s impossible not to agree with such an extensive list of harmless methods. Here’s how to stop squirrels from digging up plants:
- Smells: chili, cinnamon, mint, garlic, coffee, predator scents (pee and furs).
- Reflective or noisy objects: reflective tape, old CDs, empty cans, windchimes, pinwheels.
- Physical protection: chicken wire, plastic wrap, bamboo skewers, stones.
- Ultrasonic devices.
- Water.
- Alternative feeding.
- Deterring plants: nasturtiums, marigolds, mustard flower, citronella, alliums.
What Is the Best Homemade Squirrel Repellent?
A combination of methods is always more effective than just choosing a single one, but the one repellent considered the best is usually anything that contains spices. Cayenne pepper, in particular, seems to be one of the most effective, cheap, and stress-free options, either sprinkled or mixed into a spray. This is a non-toxic but temporary solution, as the scents need to be refreshed from time to time.
FAQ
Will Mothballs Keep Squirrels Out of Flower Pots?
Technically, mothballs can be effective as long as they have naphthalene, but they’re not recommended. Besides being a temporary solution, as squirrels will eagerly come back running your yard as soon as their strong smell fades, they’re toxic to pets and even humans.
Do Coffee Grounds Keep Squirrels Away?
Yes, this is considered to be an effective method. If you’re struggling with what to use to keep squirrels out of flower pots, just save some coffee grounds the next time you make yourself a cup and sprinkle them on top of the soil or, ideally, underneath a layer of mulch.
What Smell Keeps Squirrels Away from Plants?
Squirrels are particularly picky about scents, so anything containing cinnamon, mint, garlic, and spices like black pepper and cayenne pepper can work pretty well. Also, scents that indicate predators will scare them away.
