- 1). Tie up your dog close to the flower bed during the day or keep an outside cat. The squirrels sleep during the night so you can relax during that time. Just remember, they get up at the crack of dawn so be ready or let your animals sleep outside. Dogs love chasing squirrels and most squirrels will stay clear of them. Cats will never give up trying to chase them, especially if they are not declawed and can climb trees.
- 2). Feed the squirrels with some food outside of the flower bed. Try peanuts, sunflower seeds, even bird food to entice them. Start by placing it close to the flower bed and then over the course of 2 or 3 days move it farther away until they get used to finding their food outside the flower bed.
- 3). Trap them with a Have-a-Heart trap (see Resources). This is a humane and clean way to get them out of your yard. If you live near a forested area be prepared to trap a lot of squirrels and then move them at least 10 miles away so they can relocate. Bait the trap with some peanuts or cheese, just as you would for a mouse.
- 4). Buy a motion sensitive water sprinkler. This will turn on the water every time the squirrels scamper into the flower bed. After a while, they should learn to go to other areas for burrowing for their food.
- 5). Try a combination approach of two or three methods to keep them from burying things in the mulch. Once they start digging their holes and burying their treasures, they will always come back either to dig it up or to bury more.
- 6). Plant enough flowers and shrubs so that a few nibbles here and there won't be noticed. If your flower bed is a little more naturalistic with more plant than mulch, the burrowing here and there won't be too much of a problem.
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