Posted by Will mothballs keep squirrels out of flower pots – If Yes, how can this be?
Squirrels are furry animals with annoying behaviors and the worst nightmare for many gardeners and house owners. It gets to some extent that they become so amusing to watch as they display their notorious abilities. However, these critters are enemies to your garden plants, such as flowers. So here comes the nagging question will mothballs keep Squirrels out of flower pots
So, the answer to the question “will mothball keep squirrels out of flowers? It is simply Yes!
These small balls are usually found in many homes and are used to preserve clothing items but can also help deter squirrels, going by their scents. Squirrels get easily repelled by mothball scents, and by doing so, if you put it around your flower pots, then they would not be able to come closer to it anymore due to its strong scent.
However, you must ensure that you change the mothballs by replacing them with a new one every week. Doing this will prolong the scent of the mothballs in that particular area.
Effect Of Mothballs Over-Dose On Squirrels
Many people have found it normal to now overuse moth killer products because of pests such as squirrels infiltration. If possible, to completely get rid of these squirrels, homeowners get tempted to pick up their moth killer products right there on their cabinets.
While you keep these mothballs at your home, you should be aware that excess of it will give off a strong choking smell which can be dangerous to your health. This is one of the reasons why pest control experts wear protective masks before they visit homes that utilize many mothballs. Hence, exposure to too many mothballs, bars, crystals, and flakes is very toxic to one’s health.
When it comes to squirrels; overuse of mothballs will cause them to:
Get used to the smell
This is because their sensory receptor is already adapting to the usual smell from these mothballs. Although squirrels detest the scent of mothballs, once they get used to it, then they continue in their pesky behaviors by causing damages to garden products or in homes as usual.
So this is just like you are wasting your time releasing an overdose of these toxins.
Other home-safe repellent items like pepper flakes, Apple cider vinegar, and cayenne pepper can be used to replace mothballs for your safety and to break the adaptive strength of “getting-used-to-moth-smell” exhibited by squirrels.
Die and release foul smells in your home
When squirrels die uncontrollably around your home just because of the overdose of moth killer products that you have been spraying, then you have to face the consequences of getting your home surrounded by foul smell given off from the dead squirrels.
This happens when it gets to the point that you are unable to get rid of dead squirrels in your home or garden. It is usually a pungent stench of decomposition.
Examples Of Spices For Deterring Squirrels
Have you been hearing how spices work for repelling squirrels? And you want to try it out? Of course, but you are not sure of the type of spice to use or the examples, and then you do not have to bother about that again as we would be listing some examples of spices to use.
Below are examples of spices that will help in repelling these furry animals away from your home and garden. They are:
- Cayenne pepper
- White pepper
- Red pepper
- Black pepper
- Peppermint essential oils (an additional combination for repelling squirrels.)
Effect Of Cinnamon On Squirrels?
Now that we are already aware that something like mothballs deters squirrels, have you ever thought of what other things can be used aside from mothballs to scare away squirrels? Well, one of them is Cinnamon. Cinnamons affect squirrels, and of course, it’s the scent that does deter squirrels.
Most humans are picky when loving Cinnamon’s scent; some of them are indifferent to it, while its smell completely smites some. But what reactions come with squirrels? Let’s take a peek at how these furry animals seem to react when they contact with these cinnamon smells or scents and the effects of Cinnamon on these rodents – squirrels.
Now, the effect of Cinnamon on squirrels is their “deterring effect,” which is the primary cause for all squirrels. As homeowners or gardeners, all you have to do is sprinkle the Cinnamon on every area of your home or garden, or you can even get a spray bottle and fill it up with Cinnamon for use around your garden.
Does Cinnamon Scent Affect Other Animals?
Yes!
Cinnamons have been confirmed to be very effective on other animals based on the order of their scent. So what then are those other animals? Aside from the squirrels, other animals mine mosquitoes and ants get deterred by Cinnamon.
Effect on mosquitoes
Mosquitoes are blood-sucking bugs and vectors that give rise to malaria in their host (human beings), which is why humans look for various means of getting rid of it entirely in their homes or vicinity as a whole. However, it was recently known that Cinnamon deters these bugs by sprinkling them along the windowsills.
Effect on ants
Scents of Cinnamon would usually divert an ant’s scent trail by taking it away from their best to a nearby food source. Later on, this triggers them to move their nest to somewhere else so they would not get disrupted by the scents from these cinnamons again.
Other Smells That Deter Squirrels?
Scents from mothballs and cinnamons are not the only smell squirrels don’t like. So there are other smells such as:
- Mint
- Coffee smell
- Garlic smell
Mint
Squirrels detest mint-like smells, an example of which is peppermint. So go for a peppermint spray with a mixture of essential oils.
Coffee smell
The strong scent and butter taste of coffee are irritating and harmful for squirrels; hence they run away. Instead, use wet coffee grounds by sprinkling them on your garden soil.
Garlic smell
Garlic gives food a lovely scent, but when it comes to squirrels, it becomes a strong odor for their health which they run away from. So growing garlic around your home and garden is not a bad idea.
Squirrels And Your Flowers
Are you a gardener? And have you become an enemy to squirrels because they eat up your flowers? Or are you still unsure of whether squirrels eat flowers or not? Well, these clever critters are everywhere and are harmful to flowers and flower beds. So having to plant flowers just without any control plan will make them prone to these furry scavengers.
Squirrels eat up garden flowers uncontrollably; however, it’s not just any flowers that these hungry critters feed upon.
Flowers on their own are sometimes vulnerable or resistant to squirrels. Resistant in the sense that they can keep squirrels away from flower beds. What has kept squirrels away from most flowers is the; taste, smell, or texture of the plant.
By getting to know each example of the flowers that squirrels detest, let’s look at the topic below.
List Of Flowers That Keep Squirrels Away From Them
Just because of the notorious actions of squirrels by digging up flower bulbs right before the plant’s growth, many homeowners and gardens have then considered cultivating a mass of resistant flowers for squirrels in their homes and gardens, respectively.
Therefore it is worth knowing each of these flowers for your good. Below are the common examples of the plants or flowers that squirrels despise.
- Dianthus
- Daffodils
- Fritillary
- Goldenrod
- Irises
- Alium
Dianthus
This one is commonly utilized for deterring squirrels. It has an unresisting look for prey like squirrels, and these very resistant flowers are usually perennial as well as biennial. Dianthus are only available or seen in pink.
Daffodils
Daffodil scents are hideous for squirrels, making them run away from it. These protective flowers should be planted amongst other plants or flowers to make them safe from squirrels’ attacks. Daffodils are available in yellow, white, and orange colors.
Fritillary
Fritillary gives off disturbing fragrance to squirrels, which makes it difficult to infiltrate where they always want to damage. Plant fritillary amongst your flower bed for a better result and watch the squirrels never to come back anywhere near there. They are available in yellow-green and black colors.
Goldenrod
Squirrels despise the smell of this flower so much that it is contained in both its foliage and flowers. It is commonly grown as a wildflower and seen in fields. Goldenrod is only of one color – a yellowish-gold and should be planted around a flower garden for their safety.
Irises
Irises are not usually highly resistant flowers against squirrels, but they do not smell too good for them as well. Therefore, it is only highly effective for desperate squirrels and is available in yellow, orange, blue, white, purple, and red, including in combination with all these colors.
Allium
Allium has many varieties, which are garlic and onions. These are indeed some of the scents that keep squirrels away. They are typically available in red, purple, pink, and burgundy shades.
Lists Of Flowers That Are Vulnerable To Squirrels
Squirrels visit your flower garden mainly because of these sets of plants or flowers that attract them. Examples of these are the:
- Monkey grass
- Hibiscus
- Tulips
- Forsythia
- Hostas
- Knock Out Roses
- Hydrangeas
They find these plants tasty and feed on them, including other everyday products like berries, nuts, fruits, seeds, and vegetables.
Do coffee grounds keep squirrels away?
Yes, coffee grounds repel squirrels. The smell is a nice one to humans but to Squirrels, the reverse is the case. The smell is a turn-off for Squirrels.
Coffee grounds with its peculiarity of a strong smell help to keep many pests away. Squirrels with their quick sensitivity to smell get easily repelled by the smell of coffee grounds.
You don’t necessarily need new coffee grounds to enjoy its effectiveness, neither is a brew of fresh coffee needed. Just any coffee will do. Be it used or fresh. It can equally be any type of coffee be it decaffeinated or non-caffeinated.
Squirrels and several animals hate the smell of coffee. And this is quite interesting information for those that want to get rid of them at all costs. This serves as an easy way to deter them from digging up your garden. Coffee grounds are an affordable and quite easy method to try in your garden.
FAQS on Will Mothballs Keep Squirrels Out of Flower Pots?
Q: Can I use mothballs to deter squirrels from flower pots?
A: While mothballs are known for deterring certain pests, they are not a recommended method for keeping squirrels out of flower pots due to their toxic nature.
Q: Why are mothballs not suitable for deterring squirrels?
A: Mothballs contain toxic chemicals, such as naphthalene, which can be harmful to squirrels, other wildlife, and even plants. Safer alternatives should be considered to avoid potential environmental and health risks.
Q: What are safer alternatives to mothballs for deterring squirrels from flower pots?
A: Consider using natural deterrents like cayenne pepper, predator urine, or planting squirrel-repelling plants around your flower pots. These methods are effective and safer for the environment.
Q: Do mothballs have any benefits for pest control in flower pots?
A: Mothballs are primarily designed for repelling moths and are not effective for deterring squirrels. Their use in flower pots may pose more risks than benefits.
Q: Are there scents that squirrels dislike that can be used in flower pots?
A: Yes, squirrels tend to dislike strong scents such as peppermint, garlic, or certain essential oils. Using these scents around flower pots can be a more effective and safer deterrent.
Q: Can I use physical barriers to keep squirrels out of flower pots?
A: Yes, physical barriers like wire mesh or netting can be placed over the soil to prevent squirrels from digging in flower pots. Ensure that the barrier is secure and won’t harm the plants.
Q: How often should I reapply natural deterrents in flower pots?
A: The frequency of reapplication depends on the specific deterrent used and environmental conditions. Monitor the flower pots and reapply as needed, especially after rain.
Q: Are there specific plants that naturally deter squirrels from flower pots?
A: Squirrels are often deterred by the scent of certain plants like daffodils, hyacinths, or marigolds. Planting these around flower pots can help keep squirrels away.
Q: What should I do if squirrels persistently invade my flower pots?
A: If natural deterrents prove ineffective, consider consulting with a pest control professional for more advanced solutions. They can provide advice tailored to your specific situation.
Q: Can I use humane traps to relocate squirrels from flower pots?
A: Humane traps can be used, but it’s essential to check local regulations regarding the relocation of wildlife. Always handle trapped animals with care and release them in a safe and suitable environment.
Also Read: What smell deter Squirrels
Conclusion
Generally, if you want to keep squirrels away from your home and garden after using repellants such as mothballs, cinnamons, and highly resistant plants or flowers, you should also make sure that you always keep your garden clean. This should be done by getting rid of any dropped vegetables or fruits from the ground, including leftover pet foods, black walnuts, and dropped acorns.
