When I first started gardening, I had such problems with the squirrels. A precious DG'er gave me this recipe and I've not had problems since. Works like a charm:
Debbie, my sister swears by the following recipe to keep away squirrels, moles, mice, racoons, possums, etc. from her garden. She has used it for years.
I bet it works for geese and snakes too. The dogs go around my garden now. It doesn’t hurt the animals, but it does keep them out. It’s like an electric fence . They go up to it and turn around
Into an old milk jug add:
2 cups water
3/4 Tbsp ground cayenne pepper
1/3 Shake a bottle of hot tabasco sauce and pour in 1/3
1 Tbsp Caster Oil
Squirt of liquid dishwashing detergent (Dawn or any other)
Shake everything well
Pour on plants or the ground where bulbs are planted. It doesn't harm plants or environment. You can mix bottles ahead of time and store as long as you wish.
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For birdseeds, another trick that I use (my DS gave it to me) is to put cayenne pepper and tabasco sauce in a big plastic baggie. Shake well. Then throw in bird seeds and shake. Doesn't hurt birds and they don't even notice the hotness, yet keeps away mice, raccoons, etc. I especially like this because it doesn't draw rats/mice when cracked seeds fall to the ground.
