I have aggressive and destructive squirrels, raccoons and possums that are ruining the flower garden. I need to deter these garden pests this spring, summer and fall. The squirrels are the worst! Any Ideas?
ML Dubose from Chicago, IL
Keeping small animals out of the vegetable garden is easy. Just erect a fence around the perimeter. Since no one wants to erect a 6 ft. high mesh fence around his or her flowerbeds, you're going to have to do a bit of experimenting to see what works best.
Deterring raccoons and possum (especially raccoons) is a bit trickier than keeping squirrels out because they are so good at getting in and out of places that seem to be secure. First of all, I would suggest laying some human or animal hair around your plants. You might contact a local barber or grooming salon for their excess trimmings. Any type of predatory scent (available at garden centers) should help temporarily, but expect to reapply them after it rains.
Both of these animals are quite skittish, so installing a motion detector or setting a radio in the garden at night may also work to scare them off. Above all, keep your garbage tightly sealed and bring any pet food and water dishes in at night.
Live trapping and relocation may also be viable options, but be sure to check with you local state conservation department about live trapping laws before attempting to do so.
You options are similar with squirrels-scare tactics or repellants. Bulbs can be covered with a wire mesh to keep squirrels and other rodents from digging them up. I feed my squirrels black sunflower seeds at a feeder located well away from my flowers. It's not always a popular response among gardeners, but I can tell you that I've never had a squirrel attack my flowerbeds.
Ellen
Not sure if this will help or not. My dogs were destroying our yard, ferns, flowers, garden etc....
We tried red pepper and chlorine granules..no luck.
What we are using on Australian Possums!!......
*Blood & bone may work for you too??
*Smoky tea spray around trees/plants
*Bin trap works as do commercially avail ones
[A similarly simple trapping devise can be made with a student ruler & a bucket to catch mice with out any serious harm to animal( look up on nett)]
*Inspecting and boarding up all entry points to house.
*Bird netting around trees they like it confuses them as they can not see it only feel it at night.
*we cut back tree branch's within 3 feet of house and each other so they can not climb up and jump across onto roof or follow tree highways!
(our possums are wild acrobats!
* I have heard the piss in a bucket and sprinkle around theory too .I know it works for trespassing cats as well (they think its a huge wild cat LOL)
I live in Australia we have possums (Phalangeriformes) and you have Opossums (Didelphimorphia): not totally different looking but opossums do look a bit more "super rat" like.
We have trouble In our Australian gardens as they stripe ornamental/ fruit trees of leaves,until the tree literally dies's . They enter our house to fossick for fruit etc if a window is left open ,Ands they live permanently in our Roof's , wall and garages if given the chance.
Highly territorial they keep other possums away from garden but can house up to 20 on one block if enough homes for them such as in a house!
We should make them tree boxes!
Although they don't seem eat cats LOL
They are a major pain for us too.
Unfortunately
We may not harm or remove them further than 12 feet from property by law as they are a native protected species!!
If you do trap them in one of the pre mentioned garbage bin traps (which do work on you're type) or in 'Elliot" traps here.
Then illegally Australians take them at least 15-20 km away or closer if somewhere over a river because they can always find there way back somehow if you drop them in the nearest park.
WE found out from a local gardening shop that put us onto Blood & Bone (you add it to soil as a powder)
It worked a treat they hate the smell
Sprinkle everywhere they like to hang out!
As an Experiment I am now sewing it into fabric bags and planting them around garden.
also I have heard smoky flavored tea in a spray bottle works but I have not tried that yet.
Post back if these work for Opossums as well.
good luck
{The opossum is North Americas only marsupial and is related to the Kangaroo and Koala from Australia!Opossums, Didelphimorphia: they are commonly also called "possums", though that term is more correctly applied to Australian fauna of the suborder Phalangeriformes}
