The Simple Solution To Keep Squirrels Away From Potted Plants

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If you go through all the hard work of planting flower or tomato seeds in pots on the patio, the last thing you want to see is a squirrel digging in that same planter, spoiling all that effort. Instead supporting your local rodent population, try a few simple hacks using hardware cloth or chicken wire to deter squirrels and keep them out of your potted plants.

Squirrels, of course, love to dig into the fresh soil of potted plants in part because they're looking for a soft place to bury acorns or other food they've found so they can come back to them later. Squirrels are also impressive scavengers, so if there's a tasty tulip bulb there (or a bug or worm) they'll take advantage. But their digging can ruin carefully planted seeds, so keeping them out of your pots is a first priority.

There are many ways you can keep squirrels out of a vegetable garden, and you can use some of the same techniques with your potted plants. Since the soil in potted plants is often softer than garden beds, containers can attract these determined diggers. One way to keep them out is to use hardware cloth or chicken wire as a barrier. Hardware cloth typically is a square wire mesh with square holes, while chicken wire has slightly larger hexagonal holes, but they're both made of durable metal. To get started protecting those potted plants, all you need is a stretch of hardware cloth or chicken wire and some cutters. 

There are several ways you can use hardware cloth or chicken wire to protect planters and pots. For the first strategy, cut a piece to fit across the opening of the pot. You can secure it to the soil with garden stakes, or bend the edges over the rim for a snug fit. This won't allow squirrels enough room to get in and dig, but it will allow sunlight and water to get through, and enough space for sprouts to grow through the holes in the metal mesh. You can also use this deterrent over raised garden beds, too. 

If the plant grows up and out of the hardware cloth, and squirrels begin stealing tomatoes from the vine, then you might want to use your hardware cloth to build a protective cage around the plant to save the vegetables. You'll know it's a squirrel at work if you find a single bite mark in a tomato. Another strategy is to take small bits of hardware cloth or chicken wire and bury them in the soil, sharp points up. If this seems like too cruel for the squirrels, you can also use a kinder method, like planting certain flowers to keep squirrels away, such as strong-smelling mint. 

You could find that if you successfully keep squirrels from your potted plants, they might attack your bird feeders next. You can deter squirrels from your bird feeder by reusing an old item from your garden.