Squirrels readily eat squash, including zucchini, pumpkins, and various gourds. These resourceful rodents view the Cucurbita family of plants as a seasonal food source, leading to frustration for those tending their vegetable patches. Understanding this feeding behavior is the first step in protecting your harvest.
Confirming Squash Consumption by Squirrels
Squirrels demonstrate a clear preference for the seeds and the soft interior flesh of squash fruit. They target fruit at various stages of maturity, often preferring the softer rinds of young or summer squash for easier access to the interior. Damage can range from small gnaw marks to complete hollowing out of the fruit, especially in varieties like pumpkins where the seeds and pulp are concentrated. Squirrels chew through the tougher, mature rinds of winter squash, leaving behind distinct, ragged holes. They may also damage the plant’s developing buds or young fruit, sometimes causing the fruit to rot on the vine.
Understanding Why Squash Attracts Squirrels
The primary attraction of squash is its nutritional value and opportunistic feeding behavior. Squash provides a good source of carbohydrates and fiber, which are important for energy. The seeds are rich in healthy plant fats and protein, making them a highly desirable, calorie-dense treat. Summer squash varieties also offer high water content, an important resource during dry periods. Squirrels are naturally drawn to gardens because they present an easy, concentrated food source. The sweet pulp and the nutrient-packed seeds make the squash patch an attractive target.
Effective Deterrence Strategies
Protecting squash from squirrels requires a multi-faceted approach utilizing both physical exclusion and sensory repellents.
Physical Barriers
Physical barriers are effective methods, involving the use of materials like chicken wire or bird netting draped over a staked frame to create a cage around the plants. For individual fruit, mesh bags or hardware cloth can be tied around the developing fruit to prevent access.
Sensory Deterrents
Sensory deterrents exploit the squirrel’s keen sense of smell and taste, often utilizing capsaicin, the compound that gives chili peppers their heat. A homemade spray of water, dish soap, and cayenne pepper or hot sauce can be applied directly to the squash rind and surrounding soil to create an unappealing flavor. Capsaicin causes an unpleasant sensation in mammals but is not detected by birds, making it a targeted repellent.
Cultural Practices
Cultural practices also play a role in reducing a garden’s appeal. Promptly removing fallen fruit, seeds, and debris keeps the area clean and reduces the scent cues that draw them in. Planting companion herbs like peppermint, nasturtiums, or marigolds nearby can also provide a strong, offensive odor that squirrels dislike, encouraging them to forage elsewhere.