how do i stop the squirels eating my newly planted plants?

[floppsy]

We have a lot of squirrels that come into our garden, which we love, but every year when I plant the new flowers they dig them up, I have tried grating soap over the earth, but that doesnt work, I am getting fed up now and wondered if anyone had a good tip for me. Thanks in advance.

[paulsmummy]

not being a garden oriented person, was wondering if u could get a fizzy pop bottle and cut of the bottom, place it over the plant into the soil, leaving the lid on, you could still water it through the cap...

dont know if itd work but it does with birds and seedlings... not sure about squirrells though, theyre really smart arnt they

[shylock73]

I get sqirrels in my garden,but have never known them to dig up plants, but they dig holes in the grass to bury their nuts. My cat sees them off so get a cat or a whippet.

[Lonnie]

To follow on from shylock, who is correct in what he/she says, the Squirrels would, at this time of year, be looking for nuts that they'd previously buried.

A Squirrel can bury up to 10.000 nuts, and remember approximately where its buried them.

[shylock73]

Lonnie,....Shylock was a man as indeed I am,and I also like`s me pound of flesh, as he did. (Shakespeare`s `Merchant of Venice)

[Lonnie]

Many thanks for putting me right shylock, and I apologise, I voluntarily donate a pound of flesh to wherever you so say, but no blood.

[Whoever]

We have lots of squirrels visit our garden and rarely have problems with plants being dug up. Reason: we hang peanut cages from our fences, and the squirrels make a bee-line for them. If they can find an easy source of food, they'll always got for it, rather than the time-consuming process of trying to dig up forgotten nuts. Similarly, neighbours complain about wood pigeons eating their green vegetables but they leave ours severely alone and fly straight to the bird table. I think if you provide food for your wildlife and they know where to go for it, they are generally far less destructive to other parts of your garden. Foraging takes up a lot of time and energy on their part, and if there's an easier way of feeding themselves, they're bright enough to take it.

[floppsy]

TO WHOEVER....I feel I have to reply to your answer, because we do feed the squirrels!!! in fact too much!! which is why they keep coming into my garden!! they even come right up to our patio door and take a biscuit straight from our hand!!!! but they wont stop digging up the plants to either bury their food or to try to find it, which is why I asked if anyone had a good tip for me to deter them from doing this.

[plumbrazor]

I was going to suggest buying a 410 shot gun but after reading your last input this may not be your best option. Why do you feed pests?