This isn't really a gardening question, but perhaps someone here will still kindly answer it. In past years I have put out (whole) pumpkins on the front porch a week or two before Halloween, only to find them gnawed or even chewed right through by some of the many squirrels (and undoubtedly rats) that live in our area. Is there anything I can treat the pumpkins with to keep the creatures from taking even that first bite? Since these are not pumpkins that are ever going to be eaten, the treatment can be anything, even shellac or something like that, if that would work. On the other hand, I would not like to poison any animals, including squirrels or even rats.

Thanks for any guidance, and Happy Halloween.

This post was edited by SusanCF on Mon, Oct 14, 13 at 3:39