Garden Warfare: Squirrels
May 5, 2009 at 11:39 am 2 comments
As I moved my artichoke and pepper seedlings outside this morning, I was greeted by a horrible sight. My beautiful beet babies were tossed about and buried. My mizuna roots were lying bare.
Squirrels.
Bane of my existance! Oh why do you torment me so?
So, I reached for my handy dandy secret weapon. Cayenne Pepper. Yup, just plain old cayenne pepper. You can sprinkle it right on your young plants, the soil, and even mature leaves, without harming anything. My only problem is remembering to reapply after rain and waterings.
The Brooklyn Botanical Garden suggests a more peaceful method: Feed the squirrels. They claim that squirrels are territorial, so it won’t increase your squirrel problem, and if they’re well fed, they won’t bother digging in the dirt. It’s a lovely thought, but I don’t negotiate with terrorists.
Entry filed under: Garden, Garden Warfare, Uncategorized. Tags: Cayenne Pepper, Food, garden, Organic, Pest Control, Squirrels, Urban Homestead.
1.
Maggie | May 5, 2009 at 11:46 am
We’ve used a homemade pepper spray to deter deer. One nibble and they’ve stayed pretty much clear! I love the idea that you do not negotiate with terrorists! Thanks for the smile!
2.
livinglime | May 5, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Yeah, I’ve made a hot pepper “tea” spray before, which works very well, but it’s more likely to harm me (I’d invariably get it in my eye) and more work than just sprinkling the dried. Plus, I have no hot peppers at this time of year. No deer here, though, as we’re practically downtown.