Squirrel fruit tree protection is a challenge and may be a losing battle, but it couldn’t hurt to try some of these simple methods and maybe your favorite tree will produce beyond your wildest dreams. We also have plenty of pine trees and they eat the cones. University of Minnesota Extension: Squirrels, Professional Wildlife Removal: Squirrel Control and Removal, Evergreen Animal Protection League: Wildlife Problems, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension, Denver County: Animal Pests in the Garden. Most gardeners are familiar with squirrel baffles for bird feeders and some forms of tree barriers. Take down any bird feeders that are on the tree as well as any nearby bird feeders that squirrels can access by jumping from the tree. Squirrel proofing fruit trees starts with management and planning. Leave the sock in a bowl of ammonia until the sock has become completely saturated. Keep limbs away from the home where they will often gain access to the tree. Knowing how to keep a squirrel out of fruit trees and other tall plants will help you enjoy their antics without worrying about their destructive natural habits. It’s meant to trick squirrels into thinking there’s a predator nearby. These are available commercially. They will also chew on siding and gain entry to your home. Poisons and traps can inadvertently harm children or pets. Common squirrel deterrents for fruit trees include Ro-Pel, capsaicin or hot pepper oil and sticky topical applications for trunks and limbs. Can you imagine waiting an entire season for the fruit to ripen on your backyard tree, and then going out one day to find all the fruit gone? This is inadvisable unless you know your species. Fortunately, because trees are living organisms, this problem is one of the easier of squirrel problems to fix. Consider better planting sites at installation of trees. You can also trim the branches of surrounding trees to cut off access. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Consider better planting sites at installation of trees. Squirrels sometimes gnaw on trees and damage them. One of the methods I frequently recommend for deterring squirrels from bird feeders, gardens and fruit trees is to feed them elsewhere in the yard. Squirrels can reach feeders 8 feet away from a tree branch. Squirrels are fascinating to observe with their tiny paws and big bushy tails. Get strategic with your gardening. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. Sprinkle the natural repellent around the perimeter of your yard and throughout your garden. It is difficult to achieve total squirrel fruit tree protection due to the animals amazing climbing ability. Will a Squirrel Stripping the Bark off My Tree Kill the Tree? Place a metal band around the tree 6 feet off the ground to stop squirrels from being able to climb it, according to Colorado State University. Squirrels are considered a protected species, and some counties do not allow residents to trap squirrels. Powered by WordPress using the dkret3 theme. Try simple things like netting the crown of the tree to protect new buds and young fruit. Spritz the repellent around the border of your yard to keep squirrels out. Apply the repellent once per week or after a heavy rain. It is difficult to achieve total squirrel fruit tree protection due to the animals amazing climbing ability. When squirrels smell the scent of the urine, they know to keep away so they don't become prey. I think if you lure them with other things they'll leave the palm alone. //-->. One of the methods I frequently recommend for deterring squirrels from bird feeders, gardens and fruit trees is to feed them elsewhere in the yard. In addition to munching on a tree's nuts and bark, squirrels also carry diseases, including the bubonic plague, notes the Evergreen Animal Protection League. google_ad_client = "ca-pub-5464718528274553"; Bodine is passionate about gardening, travel, education and finance. They often use predator's urine in them. A simple metal collar 2 feet (0.6 m.) wide around the trunk of a tree prevents entry to the canopy of the fruit tree too. The springs allow the tree to grow while keeping the metal band in place. Many a homeowner has lost the battle with the cunning local squirrel. Just like all mammals, squirrels have… Continue reading, Posted in Keep Squirrels out of Your Tree, Product Reviews, Protect your Garden from Squirrels, Squirrels Digging Holes in Lawn, As with any squirrel deterrent strategy this idea has its pros and cons and the effectiveness of using a dog or cat to scare away squirrels depends upon… Continue reading, Posted in Keep Squirrels out of Your Tree, Protect your Garden from Squirrels, Squirrels Digging Holes in Lawn,