These resources are brought to you by the Cooperative Extension System and your Local Institution

FAQ #15071

Have a question? Try asking one of our Experts

Print

Squirrels are eating tops of gladiola plants about 1" above the dirt. What can I do to prevent this?

Related resource areas: Gardens, Lawns & Landscapes, Wildlife Damage Management


There are animal deterrents on the market that are sometimes helpful as long as you spray after every rain or sprinkler irrigation. Hot pepper spray is one (capsaicin is the active ingredient). Always read and follow the label instructions.

Remember, your goal is to "encourage" the squirrels to eat something else. So the success of any deterrent program is contingent on what the edible options are in the area. If this is unsuccessful, you will need to cover your plants with a secure 1/4" screening or greenhouse-like cover to prevent squirrel access.

For additional ideas, look at this site: www.icwdm.org.

Have a specific question? Try asking one of our Experts

Unlike most other resources on the web, we have experts from Universities around the country ready to answer your questions.

Comments

Subscribe to this page's comments

Post a comment about this topic

Please keep comments on topic. To ask a question, please use Ask an Expert. All comments are held for moderation. Comments that include profanity, personal attacks or other inappropriate material will not be posted to the site.

Did you find this page useful?

No one has rated this article yet. Why not be the first?

what is this?
not useful
very useful
 1  2  3  4  5

This resource area was created by the:

Wildlife Damage Management

community

Copad_wildlife_damage_management

Resource Area Feeds

In This Resource Area

Species Information:

Training

Additional Information:

Resource Area Tags

animal manure management beef cattle biosecurity birds carnivores corn cotton industry dairy cattle damage prevention and control methods disasters diseases diversity entrepreneurship family caregiving fire ants flowers glossary herbaceous plants horses horticulture human-wildlife relations integrated pest management parenting personal finance rodents science science education soybeans swine wdm nwco wildlife identification