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Are Squirrels bad for my Lawn?
Many gardeners despair at the sight of a cheeky squirrel scuttling around their precious gardens, scratching at the lawn and making little holes in the turf.
What problems can squirrels cause?
Squirrels aren’t your typical culprit when it comes to lawn destruction. That doesn’t mean that they aren’t known to do some damage. Whether it’s making holes in the lawn or stealing food from our birdfeeders, the swift and nimble squirrel can be a challenge.
Their Diet
Squirrels are known for chewing a bit of everything so don’t be too surprised when they have taken a quick nibble on your flowers and other vegetation, but you may notice they’re also capable of chewing on wooden decks and furniture. Most of their diet is made up of fruits, nuts and seeds though, and it is generally the foraging and storing of food that causes issues.
Lawn Digging
Squirrels mostly damage the lawn by digging up the acorns and nuts which they’ve stashed there in the past or the gardeners’ prized bulbs. If it’s the latter, that’s adding insult to injury but generally the holes are fairly small in diameter and shallow, so don’t tend to cause any long-term issues. Filling with some soil and raking lightly before patting some seed down will help with any little divots and should recover quickly in the right conditions.
There are things you can try if the furry tailed fiend is causing havoc
- Protect vulnerable trees or bulbs. During times of heavy squirrel activity (usually Spring and Autumn), consider protecting smaller fruit and nut trees by covering with netting. Some people use wire mesh in their flower beds around bulbs, which allows them to grow but prevents the squirrel from digging. Tulip and crocus bulbs are a squirrel delicacy, so avoid these and choose daffodils instead, or try planting pots of mint which they detest!
- Reduce temptation; avoid feeding pets outdoors so no food traces are left behind, and make sure bins are sealed properly, as this could attract a variety of scavenging wildlife.
- Use decoys; many of the usual methods for deterring wildlife are reliant on the creature being nocturnal and startling them. Unfortunately, squirrels are also active during the day, so things like motion sensitive lights don’t tend to have much effect. However, given squirrels fear of owls, some have reported the successful use of dummy owls within the garden to scare squirrels away.
- Protect wooden structures; if squirrels are snacking on your decking or chairs, try rubbing areas with a bar of soap or rub on capsaicin-based repellent.
- To stop them stealing bird food; avoid seed mixes including sunflower seeds, which are one of their favourites, and consider squirrel-resistant birdfeeders. If you have an upstanding birdfeeder, some have reported success (and much amusement) by greasing the upright pole, so the squirrels are unable to climb up it. Alternatively, add a DIY baffle to your existing birdfeeder – look on YouTube for some creative approaches!