How do you keep Squirrels out of a veggie garden?

[Bella'sMom]

I just planted my vegetable garden last weekend. Well yesterday the squirrels started digging up the Radish sprouts. URGHHHHHH It looks like they only dug the up and left them. I think they smelled the radish but when they dug them up, they weren't there. I was able to salvage a lot of the sprouts and I have more today. I really don't want to cover the garden with Chicken wire, Do Scarecrows, fake snakes,flags etc scare off squirrels? Someone said to sprinkle hot pepper in the ground.

Any suggestions?

 

[BruceP]

There are chemicals you can spray on your garden to keep pests away... including tree rats. (squirrels) We have squirrels and rabbits here to worry about and we are going to need to get some spray this year.... the rabbits are multiplying like,,, well, um,,, rabbits!!!

 

[bullmama]

Good question. I use a small green house when I do planting, but since the babies and EBN took over I have not done it again. I heard that about red pepper flakes too. But not sure if it works....

 

[Bella'sMom]

I will try the red pepper flakes. I have loads in my pantry. Today has been okay, however I have been outside with the dogs most of the day, so they are staying away.

 

[BruceP]

We have, in the past strayed petunias and other flowers with a mixture of tobacco type sauce and water. Id forgotten about that..... we had a rabbit one year that ate so many of Lari's flowers we named it Petunia. Apparently our gazebo deck is a good place to live if your a rabbit. Haven't been able to get rid of them yet. It's against the law to discharge any kind of weapon in the city so I can't even scare them off with a BB gun.

Another little anecdote: One of our neighbors just loves squirrels and has feeders in their yard for them. Another neighbor hates squirrels and traps/relocates them... LOL We remain neutral