How to Keep Squirrels Out of the Garden: 7 Natural Methods That Work
Quick Reference: How to Keep Squirrels Out of the Garden
- Three truths about squirrels: they dislike strong scents, they spook easily, and they fear losing an escape route.
- Top seven natural methods: hot chili pepper, essential oils, garlic spray, grated Irish Spring soap, physical barriers (hardware cloth, chicken wire, row covers, netting, fence spikes), electronic and motion-activated devices, and planting varieties squirrels avoid.
- Best season to start: early spring as bulbs sprout, then keep the program going through fall harvest.
- Plants that repel: alliums, mint, catnip, geranium, hyacinth, and daffodils.
- Almanac tagline: Plan Your Day. Grow Your Life.
The ripe tomato on the vine has a bite taken out of it. The carrots are dug up. The flower pot has craters in the soil and the plants are lying on the ground. All signs point to squirrels. Here is how to keep squirrels out of the garden naturally, with seven methods home gardeners have leaned on for generations, a regional timing chart, and answers to the questions most gardeners ask.
Squirrels are cute, and they are also a nuisance to gardeners who have long battled with them. No single method has won decisively, because squirrels are masters at adapting and learning. Combine two or more methods and you can mean the difference between saving your plants and throwing in the towel.
For strategizing, it helps to know a few truths about squirrels in advance. They dislike strong scents, they have jumpy dispositions, and they fear not having an escape route. According to Penn State Extension, eastern gray squirrels are most active at dawn and again in late afternoon, and they remember a productive food source for weeks, so consistency matters more than any single fancy product. The Humane Society also recommends a layered, non-lethal approach for the same reason.
Squirrel-Proofing Methods
The seven methods below are stacked from cheapest and easiest at the top to more involved at the bottom. Pick two, run them together for two to three weeks, and reapply after every rain.
1) Hot Chili Pepper
One of the easiest natural methods is hot pepper applied to the plants and soil. The capsaicin (the “heat” in the pepper) is the deterrent, both in smell and taste. Sprinkle the flakes around the soil of plants that need to be protected, including potted plants. You can also sprinkle cayenne pepper directly on plant leaves, knowing that a soft rain will rinse it off and call for a quick reapply.
A foliar spray is another option. Mix a small bottle of Tabasco, a gallon of water, and a few drops of dishwashing liquid (the soap helps the hot sauce cling to the foliage), then use a garden sprayer or a standard spray bottle. First, spritz the solution on a single leaf to test how it affects the plant. The solution should not affect it, but it is always a good idea to test. Foliar sprays are best applied in the early morning or early evening to avoid as much contact with beneficial insects as possible.
Most everyone has hot chili peppers in the pantry. If not, they are readily available in the spice aisle at any grocery store.
A word of caution about hot pepper solutions: wear protective gear, such as gloves and eye protection, while preparing and applying solutions, and do not touch your eyes or rub your skin without washing thoroughly. Do not apply hot pepper spray when it is windy.
2) Essential Oils
Essential oils in scents squirrels dislike, peppermint, geranium, and clove, are also effective deterrents. Simply soak cotton balls in the essential oils and place them in shallow trays (such as jar lids or saucers) around the garden or directly in planters. Many commercially sold deterrents use these essential oils in their formulas, so if you go this route, spray around garden hardscapes (not on the plants directly). Mix 5 to 10 drops of essential oil per cup of water for a homemade version. A word of caution about essential oils: keep them away from pets and children.
3) Garlic
While you might enjoy the scent of garlic while cooking, squirrels are not fans of the smell or taste. Mix some chopped garlic with equal parts water and vinegar. Let this concoction sit for a few days so the flavors can combine, and then spray it on fences, stakes, and flower pots, but not directly on the plants, as vinegar can harm them. Label any container holding leftover spray and keep it in a safe location away from children and pets.
You can also purchase commercial garlic deterrents online or at most garden supply or hardware stores. These are commonly used for insect pest management, but they can also help ward off squirrels.
It is important to remember that the effectiveness of any spray will fade and should be reapplied every few days, and always after rain.
4) The Old Soap Trick
A Farmers’ Almanac reader trick says to grate Irish Spring soap and sprinkle it around your garden plants. Squirrels and deer steer clear, as they do not like the scent. Refresh after a heavy rain. It is one of those traditional methods that has hung around because it is cheap, harmless, and easy enough to test in a single afternoon.
5) Create Physical Barriers
Your local hardware store likely carries hardware cloth, a mesh cloth sold in rolls and an effective method to protect potted plants, individual plants, or sections of the garden where squirrels have been digging. Lay the mesh flat over the soil, then cover it with more soil or an unfriendly-to-squirrels mulch, such as gravel or pebbles.
Along the same lines, aluminum foil can be placed on top of the potting soil in potted plants. Simply poke holes through the foil for each plant, seed, or bulb.
Chicken wire can be fashioned into domes or cages around susceptible plants, either individual plants or entire rows. Because squirrels will dig to get to what they want, bury the edges of fashioned cages 6 inches below the surface to prevent burrowing.
Lightweight fabrics used for frost and insect protection, called floating row covers, are another way to ward off squirrels, as they will not risk getting trapped underneath the tunnel or tangled in the fabric.
It is important in the summer to use the lightest weight fabric available to help regulate the temperature and allow the maximum amount of sunlight in for plant growth. If the plants covered require a pollinator to fruit, the row cover would need to be removed daily.
Online seed stores and garden supply centers generally stock row covers. They can be expensive initially but may be reused for years with proper care and winter storage.
For fruit or nut trees and shrubs, protective netting is a good option. The taller and wider the tree or shrub, the less practical this option becomes, not only in price but in the application. Netting is sold at garden centers and online. Small rolls are inexpensive, while large net blankets can be pricey. Netting, however, can be reused year after year.
A more recent development is the use of squirrel fence spikes. When deployed, these strips of bristles look like a giant metal hairbrush, while their plastic cousins are beds of inverted cones, pointy side up. Attach the barriers to roofs, walls, and fences, and combine with other repellents. They are readily available online and fairly inexpensive.
6) Electronic Devices
Electronic, solar, or battery-operated devices to ward off squirrels are available online and in some big-box stores. The most common are devices that emit ultrasonic soundwaves at frequencies that bother squirrels. Some include flashing lights for an added scare tactic, and some devices offer extras such as predator noises. The high-pitched sounds also tend to repel other animals, including cats and dogs, so keep that in mind.
Motion-activated sprinklers are also effective. The sudden movement and sound followed by a spray of water can frighten off a squirrel, although it is smart to move the sprinkler every couple of days to keep the squirrel on its toes in this war of attrition.
The more complicated the device, the higher the price. Simple ones run under the $35 mark, while more sophisticated repellers are more than double that amount. Depending on the size and shape of the yard and garden, multiple devices may be needed.
Regional Timing: When to Start Your Squirrel-Proofing Program
Eastern gray squirrels are active year-round across most of the US and southern Canada, with two heavy feeding pushes a year: spring as bulbs and seedlings emerge, and late summer through fall as fruit, nuts, and squash ripen. A deterrent program that starts a couple of weeks before each push is far more effective than one that starts after the damage is done.
| US / Canada Region | Spring Push (bulbs, seedlings) | Fall Push (fruit, nuts, squash) | Best Time to Start Deterrents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southeast and Mid-Atlantic | Late February to April | September to early November | Mid-February and mid-August |
| Ohio Valley and Lower Midwest | March to early May | September to October | Late February and early August |
| Upper Midwest and Northern New England | Late March to mid-May | September to mid-October | Mid-March and early August |
| Pacific Northwest | March to May | September to October | Late February and early August |
| Southern Canada (Ontario, Quebec edge) | Mid-April to late May | September to early October | Late March and late July |
The deterrents in this guide work for the more common pest species, the eastern gray, western gray, fox, and red squirrel. Chipmunks and ground squirrels respond to many of the same scents and barriers, but they often need a sturdier physical barrier buried deeper than 6 inches.
Prevention and Companion Planting
7) Plant What They Don’t Like
If you are just starting out with your garden, and you want to avoid a future squirrel issue, you can plant varieties of plants and flowers that squirrels avoid, such as those with strong scents: alliums, mint, catnip, geranium, hyacinth, and daffodils. Interplant those varieties with plants you know they do like, and you can build a natural barrier that discourages visits. The Almanac’s Companion Planting Guide can help you plot the layout.
Squirrels often share the buffet with another spring digger, the groundhog. If you see 10-inch holes near the foundation and not just craters in your pots, our companion piece on how to get rid of groundhogs naturally covers the same humane, layered approach for that bigger cousin.
What Not to Do
A few methods you may see floated online are best skipped. Poison baits risk the family dog, neighborhood cats, and any owl or fox that scavenges a sick squirrel. Glue traps are inhumane and indiscriminate. Closing off a den hole without confirming the squirrel is out can trap kits inside. Live-trapping and relocating sounds friendly but can spread parasites and is illegal in several states. The Humane Society’s guidance, layered non-lethal deterrents plus habitat changes, is the same one home gardeners have used quietly for decades.
Putting It All Together
Pick two methods from the seven above, one scent-based (chili pepper, garlic, essential oils, or grated soap) and one physical or electronic (hardware cloth, row cover, or motion-activated sprinkler). Start two to three weeks before your regional spring push, refresh after every rain, and rotate scents every two weeks so the squirrels do not adapt. Pair the program with a herb border of mint, alliums, or catnip, and the same beds that lost tomatoes last year can come in clean this season. Do what works best for your yard, and trust your own eye over any single product on the shelf.
Frequently Asked Questions About How to Keep Squirrels Out of the Garden
What is the fastest natural way to keep squirrels out of the garden?
A motion-activated sprinkler paired with a cayenne pepper perimeter is the fastest combination. The sprinkler delivers the immediate scare that exploits a squirrel’s jumpy nature, and the cayenne keeps them off the soil between visits. Keep the program going for two to three weeks so the squirrels move along permanently.
What smells do squirrels hate the most?
Squirrels avoid strong scents. The most reliable in the garden are peppermint, geranium, clove, garlic, cayenne pepper, and the grated bar of Irish Spring soap our readers swear by. Planting a border of mint, catnip, alliums, hyacinth, or daffodils builds the same kind of scent fence without any spraying.
Does Irish Spring soap really keep squirrels out of the garden?
It can, and our readers report good results. Grate the bar with a cheese grater, sprinkle the shavings around the base of the plants you want protected, and refresh after a heavy rain. Squirrels and deer dislike the scent. It is cheap, harmless to the soil, and easy enough to test in a single afternoon.
When should I start squirrel-proofing my garden?
Start two to three weeks before your regional spring push, when bulbs and seedlings emerge, and start again in late summer before nuts and fruit ripen. In the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic that means mid-February and mid-August. In the upper Midwest and southern Canada it is mid-March and late July. The regional table above gives the windows by zone.
Will these natural methods harm pets, kids, or the squirrels?
No. Every method in this guide is non-toxic to people, pets, and the squirrels themselves. Keep concentrated essential oils away from cats and small dogs, apply cayenne close to the plants you are protecting rather than on a pet’s regular walking path, and aim motion-activated sprinklers away from areas the family normally crosses.
What plants do squirrels avoid?
Strong-scented and bitter plants. Alliums (including onion, garlic, and ornamental allium), mint, catnip, geranium, hyacinth, and daffodils are the reliable ones. Plant them as a border or interplant them with the vegetables and bulbs you want protected, and they act as a natural scent barrier season after season.
Is it legal to trap and relocate squirrels?
It depends on your state. Several states prohibit trapping and relocating squirrels, both because of disease concerns and because relocated animals often die of stress or starve in unfamiliar territory. Always check with your state wildlife agency first. The layered, non-lethal deterrents in this guide are legal everywhere and tend to work better long term.
How do I keep squirrels out of bird feeders and from digging in pots?
Use a baffle on the feeder pole and place feeders at least 10 feet from a jumping platform like a fence or tree. For potted plants, cover the soil with hardware cloth cut to fit, or lay a sheet of aluminum foil with holes poked for each plant. Sprinkle a little cayenne or grated Irish Spring soap on top and reapply after rain.
Have a tried-and-true squirrel-proofing tip in your own garden? Share it in the comments below. The best methods we know about came from Farmers’ Almanac readers passing along what worked in their backyards.
Janine Pineo
Janine Pineo has been gardening all her life in Maine and writing about it for more than two decades. More of her writing can be found on her website, GardenMaine.com.
- Janine Pineo
- Janine Pineo
- Janine Pineo
- Janine Pineo
we have been having squirrels stealing our apples. they stripped some trees clean. hopefully, I can find a way to keep them away for good. I never even knew that squirrels like apples so much. will try these suggestions!
Squirrels love to dig in freshly planted spots. So, when my squirrels dug up my newly planted creeping phlox, I placed four red flags on wire stems on each side of each replanted phlox. Squirrels don’t like those flags, and the wires get in their way. I also solved my potted plant digging problem by sprinkling cayenne pepper in each pot. I still get the occasional oak tree coming up in one or more pots, but I stopped having potting mix all over the front porch. They learned to bury their acorns somewhere else.
Great tips! We appreciate you sharing with us!
We lost all of our tomatoes last year due to squirrel Armageddon. It was the first time in my 70 years of life that I have had such an attack on my garden. Much of the pests, not neighbors, we have been able to control but the little rodents just don’t have any respect for a garden that feeds those who cultivate it.
We’ll be trying something new this year. If it works, I’ll let you know and if you’re feeling squirrelly or a little nutty let me know if you have anything new to add by all means let everyone know.
Best of luck! We always recommend trying multiple layers of defense, they are smart and sneaky!
We also put water dishes in other parts of the yard. It keeps the birds away
Has anyone tried a cat. I’m happily feeding stray cats. The squirrels and rabbits are keeping their distance. Prior to the cats hanging around the squirrels ate the wiring hub on my Pathfinder. The vehicle was totaled. I was also unable to feed the birds because the squirrels would get to the food no matter what kind of feeder I was using. Feeding a few cats is a small price to pay for keeping the squirrels away from the house and garden.
Hot pepper in the bird seed is a great deterrent! I purchased a bottle of Cole’s Flaming Squirrel Seed Sauce, I was able to mix it into the birdseed. The squirrels did not like it one bit. Until then they had been chewing through my feeders and eating all the birdseed they could enjoy.
Squirrels don’t like the smell of baby powder – before planting bulbs, shake them in a small bag of it to coat.
I just covered some of my mangoes with organza bags. I think I’ll try hanging baskets with mint in them.
I sprinkle cinnamon around the beds. It also helps with plant diseases.
I’m deathly allergic so I would never do this.
I buy plastic forks any color and put several in each pot with handle in the dirt, tines sticking up–ouch to the squirrels.
Yes, that’s a good tip for most garden pests. Thanks for sharing!
Didn’t work with my persists t squirrels!
I followed every recommendation last year to no avail. I lost all of my carrots to squirrels. They dug them up and age them. 2022 was a particularly difficult season dealing with rabbits and squirrels. I live in the city; however, there is plenty else for them to forage on our property. I will attempt a homemade version of a row cover for the carrots this year, coupled with planting less attractive to squirrels plantings.
That works REALLY well in hanging baskets!
I NEED TO TRY SOME OF THESE TO DETER THE SQUIRRELS AS ONLY BIRD NETTING SEEMS TO BE KEEPING THEM OUT OF MY CONTAINERS. FOR 2 YEARS THEY HAVE DESTROYED MY GARDEN. THANK YOU FOR THE SUGGESTIONS.