Squirrels can be a pretty big pest when it comes to a backyard garden. They have been known to dig up flower beds, chew on wires and hoses and make nests in all the wrong places, including barbeques.  They create their fair share of damage and there are tons of products on the market that claim they can deal with squirrels.

Before I go into how to save your pots and flower boxes from your neighborhood squirrels, I would like to mention first that you shouldn’t waste your money on the number of deterrents out there.  Many companies will recommend noise emitters and smells, such as mothballs, that should deter the squirrels from digging in an area but the main problem with these is the fact that a squirrel will learn to work through them.  If you want an example of “If there’s a will, there’s a way,” you don’t have to look much farther than a squirrel.

Instead of wasting your money on an expensive spray or noise box, I would recommend driving down to your local home hardware store and picking up a roll of metal screening.  This is a metal screen that has a square grid pattern to it.  There are different grades but it is important to find one that does not have large holes.  If a squirrel can get its paws through the grid, then it is much to small.

Once you get it home, it will be time to start preparing your flower pots.  The first thing you will want to do is carefully measure each flower pot.  Once you have the measurements, take the wire and cut out a piece of screen that will cover the pot from rim to rim.

Mark on the screen where the plant stem is in the pot and then carefully cut out a whole in the center of the screen.  Fit it onto the flower pot.  If the plant is already in, simply cut the screen in half and then fit it around the plant so that there is about a half inch to an inch of space between the stem and the screen.

After you fit the screen into the flower pot, take a bit of soil and sprinkle it over the screen to cover it.  Make sure it is not too deep, about one inch only so the squirrel will hit the screen the moment he starts digging.  Around the edges of the pot and on the cut seam, sink a few rocks into the soil so it holds the screen in place and no amount of digging will move it.

You can screen small flower beds and flower boxes in the same way and when you are done, those squirrels won’t be able to dig in your garden and create a mess of your flower beds and pots.  Of course, knowing squirrels, once they can’t do something, they will find something else to entertain themselves with and you may be faced with a whole new problem.

Sirena Van Schaik

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I am always promoting the need for backyard habitats.  Inviting animals into yard not only provides you with many picturesque scenes but it also provides you with a biological pest control.  In this article, I am going to look at ways to invite animals into your yard and the benefits that those animals will bring.

The Bat Box

Okay, I’m just going to start with this right away.  When most people think of bats, they often think about how icky they can be, yes I said icky.  Now, I’m not a big fan of bats in my house, of which I just had to dispose of two in my basement, but I am a big fan of bats in my backyard.

You may not realize it but bats in your backyard are a valuable pest control that will ensure that your garden is free of many pests like aphids, craneflies and cutworm moths.  In addition, bats will remove most of the mosquitoes in your backyard, which leaves you to enjoy your evenings outside.

When you make a bat box, you want to mount it on a high post at the farthest corner of your yard.  Make sure that it is away from high traffic areas and also away from running water.  Once it is up, all you have to do is sit back and wait.  Eventually a bat will find it and set up shop and once you have one, it won’t be long before you have a colony munching up those pests in your backyard.

The Bird House

Everyone loves having birds in their backyard and they have become the eternal symbol of a peaceful garden.  It is important to invite birds into your garden by using plants that provide habitats and by also adding a few man-made bird houses in the yard.  Make sure that when you set up bird houses that you keep them out of the reach of any maraudering cats, whether you own a cat or not.  Also make sure that you provide them with a few bird feeders and a bird bath to draw a variety of birds into your yard.

Birds, like bats, enjoy eating aphids and they will also help out by picking off grubs, slugs, snails and caterpillars.

The Backyard Pond

Not everyone is going to have a backyard pond but if you have a space for a pond and wouldn’t mind having one, then this is a great feature for any garden. Although it may not seem like it, a backyard pond can be a wonderful habitat for a variety of animals that will enjoy riding your garden of small bugs.  Most backyard ponds can become an oasis for frogs, toads and other lizards, which will feed on slugs and other garden pests.

The last point that I want to mention when I discuss biological pest controls is to allow other creepy crawlies to reside in your yard.  Spiders are an excellent creature to have in your yard and if you see a spider or a spiderweb in an area where it does not interfere with you don’t destroy it, so for instance a spider web across your patio set would have to go.  Another great insect to have in your yard are wasps, although most people don’t feel that way.  Again, if you see a wasp, let it be unless it has a nest where it would interfere with you.

Lastly, and I hate to say this because I hate, and I mean hate, them, is to let any centipedes go when you see them in your garden. They are great little helpers and will eat a variety of insects and beetles that are eating all of your plants.

Once you have all these little oasis’s in your backyard, you will find that you will have many backyard helpers that are more than happy to rid your garden of damaging insects.

Sirena Van Schaik

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Bat Photo Credit

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• Closely monitor your outdoor space to determine the type of pest and degree of severity.

• Wrap trees and shrubs in burlap to protect them from animals like skunks and rabbits.

• Keep garbage tightly locked and water sources covered at night to discourage raccoons.

• Ensure mulch is pulled away from the bases of shrubs to deter mice from gathering inside.

• Keep an eye out for aphids, which can tolerate cooler temperatures. For a natural solution to aphids, try Scotts EcoSense insecticidal soap, made from plant-based fatty acids.

• Control lingering weeds on hard surfaces to prevent damage to patios and walkways naturally with an acetic acid or vinegar formulation such as Scotts EcoSense weed control.

• Weeds in the lawn are best controlled by crowding them out by overseeding in the fall when cool, damp conditions are perfect for seed germination. For best results, use a pure premium grass seed for a thicker lawn with fewer weeds.

For more information about pest control throughout the year, visit http://www.Scotts.ca or call 1-866-436-8477.

- News Canada

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