Does anyone know how to keep ground squirrels from eating my bush beans and cucumber plants? They eat the blossom on the bean plants before the beans have formed and they are eating the leaves on my cucumber vines.
By Diana W.
Sprinkle "Bon Ami" around the plants and on them. I also use this when planting bulbs in the winter and it keeps all the animals from eating my bulbs. Bon Ami is a cleaner like "comet" but has no bleach that would hurt the animals.
Place a set rat trap on the dirt. You don't have to use bait. I have had squirrels digging up the peat pellets that I've seeded vegetables in. My husband came up with the rat trap idea. So far, they spring it, but don't get caught in it, it just scares them away.
I live in the country and find that my 22 does a very good job of eliminating the problem squirrels, though it's not the right answer for all. I have a huge problem in the winter with the squirrels chewing apart my birdfeeders, to the point of looking out the window and seeing NO birds, but there are often a dozen or more squirrels all over the feeders.
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To keep squirrels away from or eating your plants, mix a gallon of water with 6 capfuls of Murphy's Oil Soap and 2 Tbsp. of cayenne pepper, spray onto plants.