EXPERIENCE ...............the best teacher, Cynthia. I am glad you found something that will let you enjoy BOTH.

I like my squirrels too. I like them best with dumplings.

Jim, shame on you....................LOL>

I've never tried SQ and Dumplings or bloodmeal to repel them. My dog Dingus would definitely look into the pot if he smelled bloodmeal. I have to use bone meal only in a deep hole! Had to find something both he AND squirrels dislike.

Fricasseed, Jim. Try them that way.

Jim You have an evil streak.....grins. Dingus takes them just as they are! No snooty French chef is he....

I've never tried coffee grounds in my pots to keep squirrels away. Sounds like a great discovery, but I have observed that squirrels don't dig in the pots that I top with lava rock in order to keep the soil from splashing out when I water.

roselee, that sounds like a more lasting solution. Thank you ! Where do you find lava rock? c

Enjoyed this thread ... I have visions of visiting every Starbucks in DFW, filling up a pickup load of grounds and spreading it all through my vege garden. Those little guys are still finding stashed acorns. If only those acorns weren't among my sunflower, squash, cuke and bean seedlings!

I am definitely going to try this in my container plants. hmmmmm, wonder if deer dislike coffee?
Molly

Cynthia, most nurseries sell lava rock. I get it at Lowes for $4.00 a bag. It's easy to rake off the top with gloved hands into a bucket if you want to repot.

Luckily, I haven't had trouble with squirrels digging in my pots or my gardens. Maybe because there are enough oaks and pecans in the neighborhood that they don't need to? I'll try to keep this trick in mind if they change their habits, since I don't want to chance getting a sick one to make into stew, which is my favorite method of dealing with them. :)

Tx Ag, we have a LOT of oaks and pecan in my neighborhood too. But evidently they don't think there's enough of them because they dig in the pots and the ground to plant more pecans and acorns! I pull scores of baby trees with an acorn still hanging on between the sprout and the roots. I wonder why the squirrels don't do that where you live? Plus I've got two dogs who consider it their duty to chase every squirrel they see so the squirrels have to do their dirty planting deeds during the dog's nap times...

This post was edited by roselee on Mon, Apr 22, 13 at 23:17

The lava rock topping mentioned above and elsewhere in these forums saved my sanity after trying to keep some recently transplanted rain lilies in the ground. Squirrels don't even like these bulbs, but they dug them out looking for the bone meal three days in a row before I found this solution here. Removed the rock after 3 or 4 weeks and all is good. So many thanks to those of you who contributed and discussed this idea.

Will give the coffee grounds a try next time. Just wish there was a way to "paint" them onto our dwarf peaches.

Oh, Roselee, I have TONS of baby oak trees and baby pecan trees growing right now! A couple were planted in the gardens (maybe 3?) but the rest are in the yard, so I can't chastise them for that. Much. Most of my potted plants aren't big enough for the squirrels to get into and the two that are seem to have escaped this year. But, one poor little plant had 19 oak seedlings in it. Of course, they all live underneath the oak tree except during winter, so I can't blame the squirrels there. :) And the squirrels aren't bothered by my cats...or the neighbors dogs.

do you think the coffee grounds would work on deer too??

What a great thread. I have plenty of coffee grounds for the number of pots the squirrels bother. How often do you have to reapply it?

If anyone finds a way to paint it on peaches, let me know. Despite a ton of oak/pecan trees in the neighborhood, squirrels still munch on the green peaches.

Squirrels are rodents. Rats with furry tails. They dig up and destroy lawns! Get rid of them. They got into neighbors attic and it cost him a lot of money to fix what the squirrels chewed on and ruined.

Jim, I married into a family that relished their squirrel and dumplings. Husband invited friends and family over once a year for a big supper. Mother-in-law came and did the cooking.
I did not (could not) partake. I vigorously scrubbed and scalded all the cooking and eating utensils