[Sca-cooks] OT-Squirrelly Issues

[Phil Troy / G. Tacitus Adamantius]

On Jun 15, 2006, at 2:45 PM, Jeff Gedney wrote:

>> Any suggestions from anyone with experience on how to keep
>> the squirrels out of my strawberry patch?

Oddly enough, given where I live, squirrels are one of the banes of  
my existence.

>>
>
> bobcat urine?
> (seriously they sell it as a deer repellant)

I know from personal experience that fox urine doesn't work, I've  
heard bobcat urine does.

> Other than that, most gerdeners frame their berry patches
> on top and sides (and some degree underground -- usually
> 6 inches below grade. Squirrels DO also tunnel) with
> close chicken wire, or birdnetting.
> That is the only certain way.
> (and even then, the ants get their share!)

A liberal rubbing of a cut chili pepper, something like a ripe  
jalapeno or Scotch Bonnet, on any hard surfaces near your berries,  
may help. It helps a lot for us (although it needs to be renewed  
after significant rain). What you do is split your pepper, and rub it  
on available rocks, logs, stems, posts, etc., until you have empty  
chili skin -- similar to the instruction in some French recipes to  
rub your croutons or the salad bowl with a cut garlic clove.

>
> My strawberry problem was not so much squirrels (who instead
> ate nearly every squashblossom as it formed) but birds.
> The little buggers would eat chunks out of the ripe berries
> and leave perfect beakshaped holes.

They _claim_ animals are incapable of evil, are inherently innocent  
beings, and do only what they need to do to survive. I know better.  
They do what they need to do to survive. Evil is just gravy.