1/4" hardware cloth (wire mesh) cut to fit over planter / container, hole big enough for plant to grow through. cut a slit so you can fit it around the plant stalk. cut the diameter (or square, whatever) big enough to fold an inch or two over the edges of the pot. If you need to drill a few small holes in the pot and zip-tie the screen to the pot.

If you are really having a serious squirrel problem this will stop them from getting in the dirt.

They're driving me NUTTS! I have three black walnut trees on the back corner of the lot & the trees are loaded with nuts AND squirrels. Where is the EASIEST place to bury the nuts? In my bonsai pots filled with the easy-to-dig-in gritty mix. I've trapped more than a dozen in the last two weeks & they just keep coming!

You can live-trap them with a Havahart trap, but if you hold a grudge and want to get serious, a #110 conibear bait set, set high where pets can't get at them will work very nicely.

Al

Chicken wire is what I use to cover the tops of the containers; forget the hot pepper etc, I need a physical barrier. The squirrels are so infuriating aren't they?!?

There's a fresh one in the Havahart right now that will be making the 12 mi journey back to work with me. I'll let it go in our little woodlot behind the business. Grrrr!

Al

They STOLE ALL my peaches and dug up all my flower beds!!!ARRGGG
Are they getting worst every year?

Last year when I had a huge maple tree cut down, they were popping out of that tree all over like popcorn. At least 50 feet up from the ground, and they still survived!Dozens of them!!
At least I got the old lady neighbor to stop feeding them elephant nuts everyday, after I told her they might chew her wires apart in the walls in her home and start a fire...Hehe

Wonder if gaurd dog in the back would help...?

I have a young little guy who comes in to visit me in the garage this year...knows I dole out the cracked corn for groundfeeding birds.

I watched him bury something all nice and neat in a Hydrangea container.

After he looked around for poachers and ran off I went out to remove what I expected to be a large nut or small crabapple.

Turns out my little guy thinks a Black Oiled Sunflower Seed is worthy of saving for Winter...LOL.

They haven't touched the Tomato or Pepper plants but a deer reached over 5' across a fence to eat off all the branches it could get to on one side. It ate the Roses and Cosmos since they were within the same fencing.

Somebody in the area must have a Black Walnut tree because I find them buried when I'm double digging clay for beds. Evidently the no furry little friend smelled it and dug it up to eat.

Sorry you all have so much trouble with squirrels.

Dogs work quite well at keeping your containers and produce safe. I'd say West highland terriers top the list, though they bring back trophies so you might need a stronger stomach.

Of course, this just means the squirrels will climb up a tree about a foot higher than the dog can jump and scream at the dog. It's tolerable if you can train your dog not to argue back.

I don't realize that squirrel is a problem until my outdoor cat passed away. The cat was always protecting the yard against all kind of animals chasing away mice and birds. This year, I have everything from rabbits to squirrels and birds. The squirrel will loyally do a taste test on my fig tree every single day, most of the figs have tiny holes on them. The camellia buds were thinned out as well. They even bite the lemons, I hope their teeth rot away after having that lemon.