What non-lethal methods work best to keep city squirrels away from tomatoes?
It is a serious problem here. I wouldn't mind sharing some tomatoes, but the
squirrels here are very rude and do not share. And actually taunt. Taking
a bite out of a perfectly good tomato and then leaving it.

Building a wire cage probably is the best method, but I hear they can even
get through those. And I'm not all that handy at building things.

Last year, putting soaking a rag with vinegar about every 3 or so days
seemed to work for a while. Though at the end of the summer, even that was
not deterring them that well.

On 5/3/13 5:25 AM, Gus wrote:
What non-lethal methods work best to keep city squirrels away from tomatoes?
It is a serious problem here. I wouldn't mind sharing some tomatoes, but the
squirrels here are very rude and do not share. And actually taunt. Taking
a bite out of a perfectly good tomato and then leaving it.

Building a wire cage probably is the best method, but I hear they can even
get through those. And I'm not all that handy at building things.

Last year, putting soaking a rag with vinegar about every 3 or so days
seemed to work for a while. Though at the end of the summer, even that was
not deterring them that well.

I heard of spraying with a mixture of cayenne, animal repellant, and
urine. Of course, you will then have to wash the tomatoes thoroughly
before eating them.


--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean, see
http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

"David E. Ross" wrote in message
...

I heard of spraying with a mixture of cayenne, animal repellant, and
urine. Of course, you will then have to wash the tomatoes thoroughly
before eating them.

I tried cayenne for a while and all it did was make the few tomatoes I got
before squirrels have a cayenne flavor. Didn't seem to faze the squirrels.

urine... hmmm.

On 05/03/2013 10:01 AM, Gus wrote:
urine... hmmm.

Hi Gus,

Certain hunting supply stores sell animal scents
to covert the delightful smell of human. Maybe
coyote or mountain lion smell would work?

I don't know that this would apply for squirrels,
but my sister-in-law got rid of her gophers by
cramming cat pee pee and skat from their litter boxes
down their holes. Supposedly, it smells like their
predators.

It was our idea to have her do it. She didn't want to
use poison (her cats would eat the dead gophers and get
poisoned themselves) or explosives (my favorite).

Then after she did the deed, I apologized profusely
to her, saying I didn't think she would do it. It was
only a joke! And, yes, I laughed so hard I almost
puked. She is still getting even with me. Life is
good. It is good to be a Brother-In-Law.

-T

Todd writes:

On 05/03/2013 10:01 AM, Gus wrote:
urine... hmmm.

Hi Gus,

Certain hunting supply stores sell animal scents
to covert the delightful smell of human. Maybe
coyote or mountain lion smell would work?

I don't know that this would apply for squirrels,
but my sister-in-law got rid of her gophers by
cramming cat pee pee and skat from their litter boxes
down their holes. Supposedly, it smells like their
predators.

It was our idea to have her do it. She didn't want to
use poison (her cats would eat the dead gophers and get
poisoned themselves) or explosives (my favorite).

Then after she did the deed, I apologized profusely
to her, saying I didn't think she would do it. It was
only a joke! And, yes, I laughed so hard I almost
puked. She is still getting even with me. Life is
good. It is good to be a Brother-In-Law.

That cat litter may turn into a sticky mess.
I suppose it depends on the brand, but I thought I'd save
some outdoors to use like sand after our cat died.

It got moist and turned into a paste.
10 years later I'm still trying to get all of it
out of the soil.

--
Dan Espen

On 05/03/2013 02:00 PM, Dan Espen wrote:
Todd writes:

On 05/03/2013 10:01 AM, Gus wrote:
urine... hmmm.

Hi Gus,

Certain hunting supply stores sell animal scents
to covert the delightful smell of human. Maybe
coyote or mountain lion smell would work?

I don't know that this would apply for squirrels,
but my sister-in-law got rid of her gophers by
cramming cat pee pee and skat from their litter boxes
down their holes. Supposedly, it smells like their
predators.

It was our idea to have her do it. She didn't want to
use poison (her cats would eat the dead gophers and get
poisoned themselves) or explosives (my favorite).

Then after she did the deed, I apologized profusely
to her, saying I didn't think she would do it. It was
only a joke! And, yes, I laughed so hard I almost
puked. She is still getting even with me. Life is
good. It is good to be a Brother-In-Law.

That cat litter may turn into a sticky mess.
I suppose it depends on the brand, but I thought I'd save
some outdoors to use like sand after our cat died.

It got moist and turned into a paste.
10 years later I'm still trying to get all of it
out of the soil.


Hi Dan,

YUK!

That is why you cram it about 2 feet down their holes!
Do squirrels have holes?

-T

On 5/3/13 10:01 AM, Gus wrote:
"David E. Ross" wrote in message
...

I heard of spraying with a mixture of cayenne, animal repellant, and
urine. Of course, you will then have to wash the tomatoes thoroughly
before eating them.

I tried cayenne for a while and all it did was make the few tomatoes I got
before squirrels have a cayenne flavor. Didn't seem to faze the squirrels.

urine... hmmm.


The mixture was successfully used at a public garden where I am a
docent. The garden has two white mulberry trees (Morus alba) that
squirrel were killing by eating all the new shoots every spring. The
squirrels were also eating the bark off the branches. Apparently, there
is something in the shoots and bark that gives the squirrels a buzz
(squirrel marijuana?). The trees were often 2-3 months leafing out
because of the shoots being eaten.

This year, the trees leafed out on schedule in April. I was told that a
mixture of animal repellant, cayenne, and urine had been sprayed up into
the trees.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean, see
http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

"David E. Ross" wrote in message
...

The mixture was successfully used at a public garden where I am a
docent. The garden has two white mulberry trees (Morus alba) that
squirrel were killing by eating all the new shoots every spring. The
squirrels were also eating the bark off the branches. Apparently, there
is something in the shoots and bark that gives the squirrels a buzz
(squirrel marijuana?). The trees were often 2-3 months leafing out
because of the shoots being eaten.

This year, the trees leafed out on schedule in April. I was told that a
mixture of animal repellant, cayenne, and urine had been sprayed up into
the trees.

might I inquire, who's urine?

Gus wrote:
"David E. Ross" wrote in message
...

The mixture was successfully used at a public garden where I am a
docent. The garden has two white mulberry trees (Morus alba) that
squirrel were killing by eating all the new shoots every spring. The
squirrels were also eating the bark off the branches. Apparently,
there is something in the shoots and bark that gives the squirrels a
buzz (squirrel marijuana?). The trees were often 2-3 months leafing
out because of the shoots being eaten.

This year, the trees leafed out on schedule in April. I was told
that a mixture of animal repellant, cayenne, and urine had been
sprayed up into the trees.

might I inquire, who's urine?

Any

D

On 5/3/13 4:17 PM, David E. Ross wrote:
On 5/3/13 10:01 AM, Gus wrote:
"David E. Ross" wrote in message
...

I heard of spraying with a mixture of cayenne, animal repellant, and
urine. Of course, you will then have to wash the tomatoes thoroughly
before eating them.

I tried cayenne for a while and all it did was make the few tomatoes I got
before squirrels have a cayenne flavor. Didn't seem to faze the squirrels.

urine... hmmm.


The mixture was successfully used at a public garden where I am a
docent. The garden has two white mulberry trees (Morus alba) that
squirrel were killing by eating all the new shoots every spring. The
squirrels were also eating the bark off the branches. Apparently, there
is something in the shoots and bark that gives the squirrels a buzz
(squirrel marijuana?). The trees were often 2-3 months leafing out
because of the shoots being eaten.

This year, the trees leafed out on schedule in April. I was told that a
mixture of animal repellant, cayenne, and urine had been sprayed up into
the trees.


Oops! Yesterday, I discovered that no animal repellant was used. The
mixture consisted of cayenne, liquid dish soap, and urine. No, I don't
know whose urine was used.

Two gardeners were assigned to the task. One was at the top of a
ladder, doing the spraying. The other was on the ground, holding the
ladder.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean, see
http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

"David E. Ross" wrote in message
...
On 5/3/13 4:17 PM, David E. Ross wrote:
On 5/3/13 10:01 AM, Gus wrote:
"David E. Ross" wrote in message
...

I heard of spraying with a mixture of cayenne, animal repellant, and
urine. Of course, you will then have to wash the tomatoes thoroughly
before eating them.

I tried cayenne for a while and all it did was make the few tomatoes I
got
before squirrels have a cayenne flavor. Didn't seem to faze the
squirrels.

urine... hmmm.


The mixture was successfully used at a public garden where I am a
docent. The garden has two white mulberry trees (Morus alba) that
squirrel were killing by eating all the new shoots every spring. The
squirrels were also eating the bark off the branches. Apparently, there
is something in the shoots and bark that gives the squirrels a buzz
(squirrel marijuana?). The trees were often 2-3 months leafing out
because of the shoots being eaten.

This year, the trees leafed out on schedule in April. I was told that a
mixture of animal repellant, cayenne, and urine had been sprayed up into
the trees.


Oops! Yesterday, I discovered that no animal repellant was used. The
mixture consisted of cayenne, liquid dish soap, and urine. No, I don't
know whose urine was used.


hmmm... I wonder if pure urine works best, or from a drug addict? Or maybe
from an asparagus aficionado.

Why soap? Were the tree rats swearing and uncouth?

"David E. Ross" wrote:
On 5/3/13 5:25 AM, Gus wrote:
What non-lethal methods work best to keep city squirrels away from tomatoes?
It is a serious problem here. I wouldn't mind sharing some tomatoes, but the
squirrels here are very rude and do not share. And actually taunt. Taking
a bite out of a perfectly good tomato and then leaving it.

Building a wire cage probably is the best method, but I hear they can even
get through those. And I'm not all that handy at building things.

Last year, putting soaking a rag with vinegar about every 3 or so days
seemed to work for a while. Though at the end of the summer, even that was
not deterring them that well.

I heard of spraying with a mixture of cayenne, animal repellant, and
urine. Of course, you will then have to wash the tomatoes thoroughly
before eating them.



Habanero and fox urine will work much better, just don't put fox urine on
the plants.

Greg

gregz wrote:
"David E. Ross" wrote:
On 5/3/13 5:25 AM, Gus wrote:
What non-lethal methods work best to keep city squirrels away from
tomatoes? It is a serious problem here. I wouldn't mind sharing
some tomatoes, but the squirrels here are very rude and do not
share. And actually taunt. Taking a bite out of a perfectly good
tomato and then leaving it.

Building a wire cage probably is the best method, but I hear they
can even get through those. And I'm not all that handy at building
things.

Last year, putting soaking a rag with vinegar about every 3 or so
days seemed to work for a while. Though at the end of the summer,
even that was not deterring them that well.

I heard of spraying with a mixture of cayenne, animal repellant, and
urine. Of course, you will then have to wash the tomatoes thoroughly
before eating them.



Habanero and fox urine will work much better, just don't put fox
urine on the plants.

Greg

There are plenty of foxes round here how do I collect the repellent?

D

"gregz" wrote in message
...
Habanero and fox urine will work much better, just don't put fox urine on
the plants.

Greg


How do I get a fox to pee in cup?

I tried some stuff from the vegetable stand nearby that was some sort of
repellent but didn't have any effect. And oddly, I had left some on a table
out by the garage and it had fallen off. The package was open and there
was a little chipmunk next to the opened package, dead. I assume it ate the
repellent? Weird. The clerk at the vegetable stand swore the stuff worked,
but I won't be buying anymore.

On Friday, May 3, 2013 5:25:56 AM UTC-7, Gus wrote:
What non-lethal methods work best to keep city squirrels away from tomatoes?

It is a serious problem here. I wouldn't mind sharing some tomatoes, but the

squirrels here are very rude and do not share. And actually taunt. Taking

a bite out of a perfectly good tomato and then leaving it.



Building a wire cage probably is the best method, but I hear they can even

get through those. And I'm not all that handy at building things.



Last year, putting soaking a rag with vinegar about every 3 or so days

seemed to work for a while. Though at the end of the summer, even that was

not deterring them that well.

Some people (not me) use a .22.

Some people use big black birds.

I'm just sayin'

HB

HB