Whether it’s a pudding or a regular jam, strawberry is a staple in our house. The rich sweet flavour with a bright red colour attracts every one of us.
But are strawberries well-known in the animal’s cohort? Especially your backyard squirrels?
Several species of squirrels exist, ranging from ground squirrels to tree squirrels and even flying squirrels. But all of these chipmunks have one thing in common, a fondness for fresh strawberries.
As a strawberry gardener, do you wonder how to keep squirrels away from strawberries?
Here are a few tips to keep squirrels away from your garden so you can enjoy your fresh fruits without worrying about half-eaten remnants.
How to Keep Squirrels Away From Strawberries?
Follow these steps to keep the squirrels out of your berry garden.
Cover your plants with netting or mesh
An initial strategy involves installing a covering. In the absence of a chicken wire fence and enclosure, squirrels will be able to do their favourite things. In the case of a small chamber or no space for a large section, buy rolls of garden mesh. Plants, vegetables, and fruits are all protected by garden netting from squirrel damage. Before the fruits ripen, wrap them around tiny trees.
Build an enclosed fence
When you want to keep squirrels away from your plants, you should completely secure them. From the sides and above, ensure that it is surrounded. Further, if the base of an underground bed is constructed of wood planks, they will probably not penetrate it. For an above-ground enclosure, you can get some ideas from Pinterest or order items from Amazon. PVC pipe, wood, chicken wire, etc., can all be used.
Install a fence around your strawberry patch with 1-inch-sized holes of wire that is 30-inches tall. A minimum of 6 inches of the wall should be buried underground, and a further 6 inches should be planted at an angle of 90 degrees to the garden. By putting this fence in place, squirrels won’t dig under it to get strawberries. If you take this step, you will be able to keep birds and squirrels away from your produce.
Plants that squirrels won’t eat
You can garden some other veggies along with your favourite strawberries. Even if you plant these flowers, make sure that your chipmunks don’t like them, and your garden will still look beautiful. The smell of the flowers may repel them. Choose flower bulbs such as marigolds, lilies of the valley, geraniums, and daffodils for your flower garden. Furthermore, peppermint, garlic, onions, and pepper, which have strong scents, may also upset them.
If you want to enjoy your garden, grow your own instead of letting squirrels enjoy yours.
Try squirrel repellents or detergents
A variety of products can repel squirrels. I have read about a hairdresser who brings home hair to scatter around her garden beds as a deterrent to squirrels. In our own experiences, sprinkling cayenne pepper around seemed to work for a few days, then they figured it out or became used to it.
Cut down the hanging branches
If tree branches hang five or six feet from electrical lines or your roof, trim them back. In this way, you can keep squirrels from wandering around your property, which in turn will prevent them from finding your strawberry patch.
Make your garden unattractive for squirrels
Those squirrels that find plentiful food that is easy to access will stay forever. Make your strawberry patches less attractive to squirrels by modifying the surrounding habitat. Reduce the buffet as much as possible. Your yard should not contain bird feeders or cat or dog food. Make sure all trash, yard clippings, and compost piles are covered and included.
Trap the squirrels and release
You can trap and release the squirrels somewhere else. Depending on the state, animals need to be trapped with a permit issued by the state department of fish and game or a similar agency. This method should only be used when all other options have failed.
FAQs
Why do squirrels eat strawberries?
The squirrel eats a lot of things as it is common practice. Observing their feeding habits, especially in the early hours of the morning, you will be able to see that they do not have a particular eating pattern at all. But squirrel eats fruit enthusiastically. In addition to berries, squirrels will eat blueberries, raspberries, mulberries, strawberries, and blackberries.
Which squirrels turn up in gardens?
You probably see the grey squirrels in your garden because red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) have become extinct in some areas. In this environment, greys (Sciurus carolinensis) are better adapted than red ones. Although red squirrels are seldom harmful to humans, trees can be damaged by them. Despite being cute, grey squirrels are a nuisance in gardens and houses.
How do squirrels damage gardens?
Grey squirrels prefer to graze on tree trunks and branches in gardens. When the bark is destroyed, associates and boxes become girdled, eventually causing the tree to die. Wood-rotting fungi can still grow on damaged trees, even if they are not killed. In spring, squirrels can also damage trees and shrubs by eating their blossom buds. In the autumn, they are responsible for eating many newly planted bulbs. Fruits and nuts such as strawberries, raspberries, walnuts, and cocoanuts are also included, along with vegetables. Bird feeding equipment has been the target of their infamous raids.
Final verdict
Just like humans, squirrels love sugar rush. They love to bite strawberries from your home garden. Strawberry crops should be protected by active measures to prevent squirrel damage. You can save your berries by installing a fence, covering the plant, or planting unfavourable plants for squirrels.
