How Ground Squirrels Are Negatively Affecting Your Garden

Squirrels are cute, and it’s fun to watch them run and leap about, but squirrels can do some annoying damage to your yard and garden. If you feel that the adorable rodents are harmless and are thus always welcome on your property, let’s talk about how ground squirrels are negatively affecting your garden and what you can do to ward them off or fix their mess.

Squirrels Nibble on Flowers and Trees

While they don’t do significant damage to plants, it’s frustrating to have them beat you to your harvest or to have them diminish the beauty of your garden with signs of their tampering. How can you address this issue?

For small fruit and nut trees, you can consider netting the entire tree during the season when squirrels and other vermin cause the most damage.
With bigger trees that stand apart from each other, you can wrap a two-foot bad of sheet metal around the trunk about six feet above the ground. Just remember not leave the band on longer than necessary or the tree may suffer from sunscald and insect damage. For this tactic to be effective, you’ll also have to trim branches growing below the band.
Squirrels love tulip and crocus bulbs, but don’t care for daffodils, so if you don’t want to deal with squirrels, consider sticking to daffodils. If you must have other flowers, make sure that you soak their bulbs in a squirrel repellent that has Thiram as the active ingredient before planting them. To make the bulbs extra inaccessible, try laying chicken wire on the plant bed or using a wire bulb cage.

Squirrels Dig Holes in Lawns

Many people just choose to ignore the quarter-sized holes that squirrels make on the lawn to stash their cache of winter food. They like to bury their supply and then dig them out later. Instead of fretting over the slight damage, which will repair itself come springtime, just think of it as free aeration, courtesy of your friendly neighborhood squirrels. If you insist on having a pristine lawn, however, call your Modesto pest control company for a suitable solution.

Squirrels Chew on Decks and Outdoor Furniture

If you discover that squirrels have been gnawing at your deck railings and wooden outdoor furniture, try coating them with capsaicin-based repellents or lightly rubbing them with a bar of soap. Be careful not to get capsaicin repellent on your hands or you might accidentally get it into your eyes.

If you’re concerned about how ground squirrels are negatively affecting your garden, contact your local Modesto pest control specialists at AAI Pest Control today!