Friday, May 4, 2012

Whirly Gigs

We have a huge problem with squirrels in the garden.  They are constantly digging in my various beds and either digging up things that I have planted or eating young seedlings.  I have tried putting chicken wire on things but that is a challenge with things like peas and other vine-type vegetables and it looks horrid.  As I gazed into my garden and tried to think, I hit upon the idea of using whirly gigs as a way to distract the little critters. 

We had about 8 of the whirley gigs in the basement that are metallic and colored for the July 4th holiday.  They are very sparkly.  At first I put them in the corners of the garden mounted on the posts that are holding up the wire fencing that I used as a trellis.  But then I thought that the squirrels are not going to be looking up when they get in the garden, they are going to be looking down at the yummy veggies they are about to eat.  So I put several of them in the beds themselves.  So now my garden looks as if I have decorated it for the holiday and the little whirly gigs are gaily spinning round.  It worked for a short time and then we noticed more digging.  I think that the whirly gigs are working only for the birds.

The squirrels are a totally different matter.  Whirly gigs do nothing to disuade them.  But then I found a product that actually works and is organic.  It's called Critter Ridder and it contains natural oils of cayenne, black pepper, piperine, and other ingredients.  On several reviews it says it is okay for organic gardening, so I am keeping my fingers crossed it's okay but still rinsing my vegetables well before eating.  We have sprayed it on many of the beds and are noticing that the squrrels are definately staying away.  I just hope it continues.

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