Out of Potted Plants: 7 Smart Tips

While their antics are fun, squirrels can cause a lot of damage when they start digging up potted plants. Common tree squirrels, with their big bushy tails, and striped ground squirrels (also known as chipmunks), can overwhelm a thriving container garden in no time. Driven by their instinct to bury food for later use, squirrels often see a pot as the perfect place to hide their bounty. Plus, the tender plants in the container are an attractive food source. Encourage these active rodents to play in the dirt elsewhere with these simple tricks for protecting your potted plants.

1. Create a barrier

Disrupt a squirrel’s digging habits with the help of a container treat or a barrier. Barriers are rarely effective in a traditional garden setting—tree squirrels and ground squirrels can easily avoid more elaborate barriers set up in larger spaces—and they can be effective in a container garden.

You can create a simple DIY barrier by placing a cylinder of chicken wire or fine mesh inside the lip of the container. Extend the cylinder at least 2 feet beyond the rim of the pot. Shape the wire to the shape of the container as needed.

Leave the barrier in place for at least two weeks to interrupt the squirrel’s habit. With a little time and a little luck, the critter will find a new food source, develop a new habit, and abandon your container garden.

2. Use rocks as mulch

Both ground squirrels and tree squirrels are more interested in what’s under the soil than in plants growing in the ground—although they will snack on soft container plants if food sources are intimidating. Prevent a mess in your pots by spreading a 2-inch layer of river rock on the surface of the soil around your plants. Trying to push rocks aside will encourage the rodents to move to a more acceptable digging spot.

3. Use repellents

There are commercial rodent repellents on the market. How well a particular product deters tree squirrels and ground squirrels from your containers will depend on the preferences of the animals in your yard. When trying a product, you should reapply it after each rain for at least two weeks or until no digging occurs in your treated containers. If this doesn’t work, try a different product.

4. Interrupt the squirrels’ habits

Squirrels are creatures of habit. Once they find a food source they like, they will return to it again and again. If possible, try moving the squirrel’s favorite container to another location to dig in. By moving the container from a familiar location, you can reestablish the squirrel’s feeding and digging patterns.

For example, place your pots in a well-lit shed (sun-loving container plants do best near a bright window for a few days) or near a high-traffic area, such as your porch or deck. Return your container garden to its original location after 5 to 7 days. Or, if the new location is suitable for the plants, place the pot where the squirrels are if they tend to leave it alone.

5. Move Up

Hanging baskets and window boxes are less likely to be attacked by squirrels because they have to work extra hard to reach them. If squirrels are a regular in your area, move your prized plants into hanging containers. All types of flowering annuals will bloom profusely in hanging pots. You can even grow tomatoes taller. For example, 'Dumpling Tom' falls over the edge of a pot, producing sweet cherry tomatoes that are easy to pick.

6. Use multiple methods

If one squirrel deterrent tactic has worked for a while and is no longer effective, try a new method. Barriers are usually effective at keeping squirrels out of containers, but they are not always the most aesthetically pleasing choice. Repellents can also be effective but require consistent application. Scaring devices and ultrasound technology are generally less effective methods, but it is worth seeing how they work on your resident squirrels.

7. Don’t feed the squirrels

One method that is not endorsed by wildlife researchers is to try to distract squirrels from containers by offering them food in an area outside the enclosure. “Feeding squirrels is not recommended because it increases the population density in your area,” says Dr. Dennis Ferraro, a professor of conversational biology at the University of Nebraska. Instead, try to minimize the amount of digging squirrels will do in your containers by varying the tactics above.