Tending to your garden and seeing it thrive is one of the most satisfying things you can witness as a homeowner. However, this also means that you have to deal with pesky little critters every now and then.
Squirrels and chipmunks, as adorable as they are, can do great damage to your garden. They love to dig around and make burrows, destroying your beloved flower beds.
Here are some ways you can keep your garden squirrel-free!
1. Peppermint Oil To The Rescue
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Peppermint oil is one of the best ways to keep your garden squirrel-free. This amazing natural repellent has a strong scent that squirrels and chipmunks don’t appreciate!
Soak small pieces of cotton balls in peppermint oil and place them around the plants and flowers you want to protect. It won’t harm them and it will keep your flowers safe!
2. Crushed Rosemary In Sachets
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Believe it or not, squirrels and chipmunks aren’t a big fan of rosemary scent. Its strong scent makes the little critters run away!
Simply make small sachets of crushed rosemary and place the sachets around your garden! Super easy, am I right?
3. Garlic Repels More Than Just Vampires
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Another great and completely natural way to protect your garden from squirrels is by using garlic! The strong, pungent aroma of garlic is highly off-putting to these critters, making it an effective and safe deterrent for your favorite plants.
You can simply place whole garlic cloves around your garden beds, potted plants, or the base of trees. For a more versatile approach, mix garlic oil or minced garlic with water to create a homemade spray.
Apply this spray around the outer perimeter of your backyard, garden borders, or directly on surfaces you want to protect. The smell will act as a natural barrier that squirrels will think twice about crossing. And as a bonus, it might just keep vampires at bay too—talk about double duty, right?
This eco-friendly method is easy to implement, non-toxic, and ensures your garden stays squirrel-free without harming your furry visitors.
4. Spice Things Up With Cayenne Pepper
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Another perfectly natural remedy you have in your kitchen is cayenne pepper. This spicy scent will guarantee to keep chipmunks and squirrels away.
Crush up cayenne pepper flakes into powder and sprinkle it around your garden. However, if you want to keep a particular flower safe then mix the powder with water and spray the leaves!
5. Citrusy Scents Are Your Best Friend
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Anything citrusy is a squirrel’s nightmare. You can spray lemon juice around your garden as a quick and easy way to keep squirrels out.
But if you happen to have citronella oil around, soak up some cotton balls and place them around! Voila, your garden is now squirrel-proofed.
6. Pine Needles As A Decoration And A Repellent
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I always try to find different ways to decorate my flower beds. I used to put colorful rocks at the bottom of my flower beds, but since I learned about pine needles I changed my mind!
Pine has a strong scent even for us humans and it proved to be a great squirrel repellent. Simply sprinkle some pine needles across your flower beds and that’s it. It looks decorated and keeps the little critters away!
7. The Majestic Lavender Oil
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Who doesn’t love the calming scent of lavender? Squirrels! As much as lavender oil is soothing to us, it’s an absolute nightmare for squirrels!
Once again, soak up some cotton balls with this essential oil and watch the squirrels run away from your beloved flowers. It’s as simple as that!
8. Cinnamon Powder
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The spicy and pungent scent of cinnamon is a surprisingly effective natural deterrent for squirrels and chipmunks. These critters find the smell overpowering and unappealing, making it an excellent option for protecting your plants and garden.
Simply sprinkle cinnamon powder around the base of your plants, flower beds, or garden borders to create a barrier they’ll think twice about crossing.
For an even easier application, mix cinnamon with water to create a spray that can be applied directly to areas prone to activity, such as pots, shrubs, or the edges of pathways. The spray method is especially useful for vertical surfaces or hard-to-reach spots.
Cinnamon is not only safe for your plants but also a non-toxic option for households with pets and children. It’s a simple, eco-friendly solution that works wonders—plus, it leaves your garden smelling amazing. How easy and effective is that?
9. Coffee Grounds Make All The Difference
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Used coffee grounds are a fantastic dual-purpose solution for gardeners looking to keep squirrels and chipmunks at bay.
The strong, bitter aroma of coffee grounds is highly unpleasant to these critters, making it an effective natural repellent when sprinkled around your plants, flower beds, or garden borders.
Not only do the grounds create a scent barrier that discourages foraging and digging, but they also serve as an excellent organic soil amendment. Rich in nitrogen and other nutrients, coffee grounds help improve soil structure and provide essential nourishment for your plants as they break down.
For best results, spread a thin layer of grounds in areas where you’ve noticed squirrel or chipmunk activity. Reapply after heavy rains to maintain their effectiveness.
This eco-friendly method not only protects your garden from pesky visitors but also recycles a common household waste product, making it a win-win for you and the environment.
10. Cedar Mulch Will Do The Job
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Cedar mulch is not only a practical addition to gardens for moisture retention and weed control but also a natural deterrent for squirrels and chipmunks.
The aromatic oils in cedar wood release a strong, earthy scent that these critters find overwhelming and unpleasant. This scent masks the smell of food or plants they might otherwise target, discouraging them from digging or foraging in your garden.
Cedar mulch is easy to spread around flower beds, vegetable patches, or the base of trees, creating a barrier that’s both decorative and functional. Unlike chemical repellents, cedar mulch provides a long-lasting and eco-friendly solution to keeping pests at bay.
For best results, ensure the mulch is fresh and replaced periodically to maintain its strong scent. While cedar’s aroma is delightful to humans, it’s nature’s way of keeping your garden safe from unwanted visitors.
11. Daffodils Will Help You Out
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Daffodils, with their vibrant yellow blooms, are more than just a cheerful addition to your garden—they’re a natural repellent for squirrels and chipmunks.
These critters tend to avoid daffodils because the plants contain a chemical compound called lycorine, which is toxic and emits a bitter odor they find unpleasant.
Planting daffodils around the borders of your garden or interspersed among other plants creates a natural barrier that keeps these animals at a distance.
In addition to their repellent properties, daffodils are low-maintenance and thrive in a variety of soil types, making them a practical and beautiful choice for pest control. While humans admire their beauty, squirrels and chipmunks quickly learn to steer clear of these blooms, ensuring your garden stays undisturbed.