How to keep squirrels from digging up your flowers

I’ve had Squirrel Wars at my house this week.

Not over birdseed–I’ll save that for another day. (Those blasted acrobatics!)

This week, I’m fighting for my pansies. I planted 5 pots of pansies last week when the weather warmed, and every day since, I have found one or two pansies dug up, laying pitifully on its side or even out of the flower pot. In its place lies a burrow, likely with a nut buried deep inside.

I don’t know. I never dig for the nuts. I just angrily re-plant the pansy and clean up the dirt that’s scattered everywhere. I’m amazed at how hostile I feel toward them.

Last year I scattered trimmings from cutting my son’s hair. Supposedly, human hair repels squirrels. Apparently not mine.

Two days ago, I tried Cajun pepper. I sprinkled it all around the flowers in each pot, covering the dirt. This morning, I noticed that the dirt has been rumpled slightly, but there are no holes and no excavated pansies.

I’m hailing myself a hero.

I have tried Cajun pepper on flowers before–I have sprinkled it around hostas and tulips that disappear from my flowerbeds like ice cream in the summer–but to no avail. Rabbits and voles don’t seem to mind it.

But squirrels–apparently they are not so adaptable.

Now to keep them off my bird feeders.

 

image by George Hodan