It has been said that squirrels are merely rats with good publicity, and I for one believe this assertion.

I don’t hate them or anything, and they certainly are cute, but when it comes to sheer destructive capability squirrels are right up there with their uglier cousins but they get a pass because of those good looks!

If you have a garden or tend to any plants outside, you already know: they massacre bulbs, tender shoots and more, and seemingly no matter what you do these nimble, crafty rodents always find a way to get after your plants.

But, you don’t need to despair and you don’t need to tear your hair out: it is possible to keep squirrels out of your garden beds with a combination of ingenuity and some choice of equipment.

I’ll be sharing with you nine proven methods to do just that today…

1. Use Repellent Plants Against Them

One of the best and least harmful tactics for keeping squirrels out of your garden beds is just to employ offensive scents that they hate.

Squirrels are like all rodents in that they have a profoundly powerful sense of smell. This helps them find food, naturally, but also means they are susceptible to odors they find offensive or harmful.

It is well known that squirrels hate both garlic and onions, but even some flowers like lilies, daffodils and goldenrod seem to drive them away.

You can also try to repel squirrels with Irish Spring Soap or Epsom salt, as they are well-known repellents of many mammals even though they don’t smell offensive to people.

You might have to try a few different options until you land on one that will reliably keep squirrels away, or might even be a combination of fragrances, but with a little experimentation you can at least repel some squirrels some of the time.

2. Employ Mesh Bed Covers

Sometimes, the most direct method for protection of your assets is also the best. Covering up your raised beds and the vulnerable plants they contain with some sort of mesh cover will act as a physical barrier to keep squirrels out.

Considering how persistent, clever and agile squirrels are, this might be the ideal solution for you…

It’s a good solution, and one that you can purchase over the counter or make yourself if you are crafty, but it isn’t perfect.

Squirrels can easily chew through softer materials, so you’ll probably want to use chicken wire or something similar for the purpose.