How Do I Deal With Ground Squirrels in the Garden?

If you're frustrated with the garden damage from these critters and wondering how to deal with ground squirrels in the garden, let's talk...

Squirrel Prevention

the best option for dealing with ground squirrels in your garden to not let them get into your garden in the first place.

Squirrel-Proof Fencing

I've seen smart fencing, designs involving a chain-link fence, with a layer of chicken wire at the bottom to keep out the smaller critters, and then a layer of black plastic buried a couple feet underground and extending a couple feet up the fence.

The slick black plastic often helps prevent critters from climbing up. What would be an otherwise very climbable fence.

I've also seen fencing that was topped with strips of aluminum sheet metal that create a slick surface too difficult for squirrels to climb.

Buried Hardware Cloth Cages

Some people with recurring ground squirrel issues, find that they can create cages out of hardware cloth and bury them under their garden, plot to prevent ground, squirrels and other burrowing animals from digging up from below.

I generally find this method to be an enormous pain to implement, and often a detriment to route growth, so I can't advocate for it, however, folks who are willing to do this do you often say that it helps with ground squirrels.

Row Covers for Ground Squirrels

Using row cover netting can be in effective method for keeping squirrels away from your plants. Of course they can chew through this, but often don't if other food sources are available. Consider planting something that they like outside your garden, to give them an alternate food source.

Squirrel Deterrence in the Garden

Some people say that you can use chili flakes to deter squirrels. You can also chop up chilies and soak them in water, and then spray this around the garden to help deter them.

Some people chop up garlic and soak that in the chili water as well, prior to spraying.

Others say that peppermint plants or peppermint oil will help to deter squirrels.

Bonus points for these 3, because you can grow them all yourself.

Some use plastic scare-owls to deter rodents, though I'm not sure I've noticed any affect from this personally.

Some gardeners swear by these methods, and I suspect that there's definitely some truth to these.

That said, most people find these are all somewhat ineffectual, and only provide a minimal amount of squirrel deterrence.

Keeping that in mind, these deterrence methods are probably a good secondary supplement to an already strong squirrel prevention plan.

Squirrel Catching

If you can't deter or prevent them, catch them:

Garden Squirrel Catch and Release

The commonly-sold Havahart traps are used for live rodent, catch and release. They're simple to use, and squirrels can be relocated after catching them in your garden.

This can be a repetitive task, however, for very small squirrel problems. It can be effective when you're having difficulty preventing and deterring them from getting into your garden.

Looking for ways to control other garden pests naturally? Check out the full guide here.

Snap Traps

If you don't mind killing ground squirrels that find their way into your garden, rat snap traps baited with peanut butter will do the trick.

Consider pairing this method with the deterrance and prevention methods above to reduce the need to snap them.