When you hear the word 'rodent' what comes to mind? You probably are thinking of a smaller sized animal that feeds on everything and keeps coming back for more. This is in fact what makes rodents, well, rodents. 

This is why we classify nutty squirrels as rodents; and homeowners are always trying to repel squirrels from gardens. So, how do you keep squirrels out of the yard? Here are some things you can do to keep squirrels away. 

Squirrel Repellents

Homemade hot pepper sprays are often effective squirrel deterrents. Mix a small bottle of hot sauce and a few drops of mild liquid dish detergent with 1 gallon of water, then pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Although dish detergent is optional, it helps the hot pepper spray stick to the leaves.

Remove the Food Source

The idea is to remove the fruits or vegetables that attracted them to your backyard in the first place. Or, make it harder for them to reach the grub. When doing yard work, move fallen apples that fell from trees, nuts, and seeds that squirrels love to eat this time of year. Cover fruit bushes and bare soil with bird netting to repel deer, birds and squirrels; or use an enclosed garden fencing system to stop squirrels from reaching into the fence and pulling out food.

Other squirrel repellent strategies include scaring them with scare devices and distracting them with other types of food that may be of interest to a squirrel away from the better crop harvest. 

Do you have other squirrel deterrent ideas? Let Deerbusters know on Facebook @Deerbusters; and follow the conversation using hashtag #RodentAwarenessWeek.