Do squirrels keep digging up bulbs, stealing from bird feeders, or wreaking havoc in your vegetable garden? The good news is that you don’t need harsh chemicals to solve these problems. There are several natural squirrel repellent options featuring simple, everyday ingredients that keep squirrels away.

In this guide, you’ll discover smells squirrels hate, the plants that repel squirrels, and easy DIY solutions to protect your garden.

You’ll also learn which scents work best, and how to make homemade sprays that deter squirrels naturally.

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What repels squirrels naturally? (quick answer)

If you want to keep squirrels out of gardens without harsh chemicals, start by using smells and tastes they hate. Strong scents such as peppermint oil, garlic, and cayenne pepper work well. Planting daffodils, alliums, and hyacinths can also discourage squirrels from digging and nibbling.

For a quick, DIY solution, homemade sprays combining these ingredients can give your yard immediate protection from squirrels while remaining safe for pets and children.

What smells do squirrels hate the most?

Squirrels dislike spicy, pungent, and sharp scents since these irritate their sensitive noses. Using these scents in your garden, either as sprays or by planting them, can deter squirrels from digging or chewing on nearby plants.

Some of the most effective smells and ingredients include:

Cayenne pepper: Contains capsaicin, which irritates sensory nerves.
Peppermint oil: Its sharp menthol scent overwhelms their noses.
Garlic: Strong and pungent, it acts as a natural nasal irritant.
White vinegar: Its acidic odor masks food smells and deters squirrels.
Coffee grounds: The strong aroma makes the area unpleasant for squirrels.

While these scents are effective on their own, you can make them even more powerful by turning them into simple DIY sprays or strategically planting them in your garden. We’ll cover these methods in the next section.

Homemade squirrel repellent sprays that work

Now that you know which smells squirrels hate, you can turn them into simple homemade sprays. These DIY squirrel repellent sprays are easy to make, safe for your garden, and are effective tools to keep squirrels away from plants.

Cayenne pepper squirrel repellent spray

Squirrels hate the smell of cayenne pepper because it contains capsaicin, which creates a burning sensation. This DIY squirrel repellent spray will help to keep them away.

Add one small bottle of hot sauce to one gallon of water.
Mix well and place the mixture in a spray bottle.
Spray the solution directly on the leaves of plants where squirrels have been chewing.
You can also spray it directly on birdseed, since birds don’t have the receptors that register capsaicin as hot.
Reapply every 2-4 weeks and after rain or heavy dew.

Vinegar squirrel repellent spray

Both apple cider vinegar and white vinegar have a strong, sharp aroma that squirrels dislike. The scent can interfere with their ability to forage and encourage them to move elsewhere.

Fill a spray bottle with apple cider or white vinegar.
Apply it to hard surfaces and fixtures where squirrels are active.
For a stronger squirrel deterrent, mix in 2-3 tablespoons of cayenne pepper.
Apply every 2-7 days as the scent fades over time.
Reapply the vinegar squirrel repellent spray after rain for best results.

Note: Vinegar is non-selective and can damage plant leaves on contact. It can also affect soil microbes if overused. For this reason, it’s best to use vinegar sprays only on hard surfaces or around the edges of garden areas. Avoid spraying it directly on plants or soil.

Peppermint oil squirrel repellent spray

Squirrels dislike the strong scent of peppermint. It’s easy to make a spray to keep them away from your garden.

Place 1-2 teaspoons of peppermint essential oil in 1 cup of water and a few drops of dishwashing soap.
Mix well and place in a spray bottle.
Spray around the borders of your garden, on fences, or directly on plants.
The aroma of peppermint oil evaporates over time.
Apply every 2-3 days for best results.
Reapply after rain.

Garlic squirrel repellent spray

The sulfur-based compounds in garlic naturally repel squirrels. It is repulsive to their sense of smell, and they find it unpleasant to eat, too. This spray uses both fresh garlic (for the pungent odor) and freeze-dried garlic (for concentrated strength).

Place 3 cloves of fresh, sliced garlic, 2 tablespoons of freeze-dried garlic, and 2 cups of water in a saucepan.
Boil, then let the mixture steep for 1 to 2 hours.
Strain to remove the solid pieces of garlic.
Add a pinch of cayenne pepper for extra heat.
Pour into a spray bottle.
Spray around plants and on fences or plant pots.
Reapply every 3-7 days and after it rains, since the odor fades over time.

Plants that repel squirrels naturally

Some plants naturally deter squirrels due to their strong scent or taste. While they won’t eliminate squirrels for good, they can help reduce digging and damage when planted around vulnerable areas.

These are some effective plants squirrels hate:

Mint (particularly peppermint): Strong scent squirrels avoid (best grown in containers)
Garlic: Pungent smell acts as a natural squirrel deterrent for gardens
Chili peppers: Contain capsaicin, which irritates squirrels’ nasal passages
Onions: Sulfuric odor and taste repel squirrels naturally
Marigolds: Often used as companion plants for pest control
Daffodils: Toxic bulbs that squirrels tend to avoid
Alliums: Strong-smelling ornamental relatives of onions

Pro tip: While many gardeners report success at repelling squirrels with these plants, determined squirrels can still be a nuisance. A combination of methods, such as mixing squirrel repellent for plants, sprays and physical barriers give the best success.

How to keep squirrels away from your garden naturally

In addition to the squirrel sprays and plants listed above, there are a few other squirrel repellent methods that you can use to keep squirrels away.

Mix dried peppermint leaves with a few drops of peppermint essential oil.
Put the peppermint-scented leaves in mesh bags.
Place in areas that squirrels frequent.

Cotton ball method (best for confined areas like attics and potted plants)

Soak cotton balls in peppermint oil and place them on empty jar lids around plants that squirrels like.
Resoak the balls every 3-7 days, since the scent can evaporate.
Replace the balls if they become dirty and dry out.

Coffee grounds natural squirrel repellent for plants

Squirrels dislike coffee grounds because of their strong, bitter aroma. The coarse texture of coffee grounds is also uncomfortable to their paws, discouraging them from digging in it.

Scatter used coffee grounds around the base of plants in flower beds or pots.
Create rings around pots or plants to act as a barrier.
Apply every 1-2 weeks since the scent fades over time.
Reapply after a rainfall or watering.

Red pepper flakes is a natural squirrel repellent

The capsaicin in red pepper flakes causes a burning sensation to squirrels, teaching them to avoid the areas where you place the flakes.

Sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes near plants that squirrels frequent.
Mix red pepper into birdseed. This won’t affect the birds, but squirrels will avoid it.
Reapply after rain or watering, as they will wash away.
Do not apply to plants with delicate foliage to avoid leaf burn.

Additional ways to keep squirrels away

Even the best natural squirrel repellent won’t work as well if your yard is attracting squirrels in the first place. Reducing these attractants helps your sprays and scent-based deterrents work more effectively.

Remove items that attract squirrels

You may unwittingly be inviting squirrels into your yard with bird feeders, compost piles, and open garden bins.

Bird feeders: Squirrels love birdseed! Place feeders away from garden beds and fences, and clean up spilled seed regularly to avoid attracting squirrels.
Move garbage bins: Cover your garden bins securely to keep squirrels away.
Garden maintenance: Remove fallen fruit and nuts from nut trees.
Compost bins: Squirrels are attracted to food scraps in open compost piles. Use tumblers or secure lids with bungee cords to keep them out.

Keep squirrels out of flower pots

Squirrels often dig in pots to find food or a place to bury nuts or to dig up bulbs. A few simple barriers can stop this behavior.

Cover the soil: Mesh, chicken wire, or decorative stones help prevent digging.
Add mulch with sharp textures: Pinecones make the surface less appealing.

Scare squirrels to keep them away

Squirrels are easily startled, and occasional disturbances can encourage them to move on.

Noise and movement: Use motion-activated devices such as sprinklers or noise makers.
Objects: Hang reflective objects that move in the wind to create visual disruption.
Scarecrows: These large objects appear to be humans to squirrels, and help to keep them away.

Use pets as a squirrel deterrent

The presence of a natural predator can make squirrels feel unsafe in your yard.

Allow dogs or cats supervised access to the garden area.
Their scent and activity alone can help discourage squirrels from settling nearby.

Note on trapping and relocating squirrels

Live traps are sometimes used to remove squirrels. However, relocation may be regulated in some areas and is not always effective long-term. In many cases, using natural repellents and removing attractants is a simpler and more reliable solution.

Natural squirrel repellent plants printable

You can print the squirrel repelling plants printable as high-resolution JPGs or PDFs by using the links below:

Printing instructions:

Select portrait orientation and “fit to page” on your printer settings for a full-page printout.
You can also print out the printable from the project card at the bottom of this page. Scroll down to the card to print.

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🐿️🌱 Squirrels tearing up your garden? You don’t need harsh chemicals to stop them! Discover natural squirrel repellent ideas that actually work - DIY sprays, smells squirrels hate, and simple tricks to keep them out for good.🌿 Safe,… Share on X

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Admin note: This article on how to get rid of squirrels naturally first appeared on the blog in April 2018. This post has been updated with new photos, a printable of squirrel repellent plants, and a slideshow video about natural squirrel repellents.

Yield: 1 squirrel repellent plants printable

Squirrel Repellent Plants Printable

If you have ever wondered, "What keeps squirrels away?", the answer is plants! There are several plants squirrels hate either because of their smell or taste. This printable is a good resource to save for later. Print it out in high-definition or PDF format with the links below.

Active Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Difficulty easy

Estimated Cost $2

Materials

Computer paper

Tools

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Printer

Instructions

Load your paper into your printer.
Using the print function on this card will give you a squirrel repellent plants printable that fills about ¾ of an 8.5 x 11-inch sheet of paper.
Choose portrait layout and, if possible, "fit to page" (or 125%) in your settings.
Prefer full-page printing? You can also print the guide as a high-resolution file using your browser’s print feature: (PDF) | (JPG).
Please note that creating free printables takes a long time. This squirrel repellent plants guide is for personal use only. If you are sharing it (and thank you for that!), please link directly to this post, rather than to the actual image. We appreciate your help in supporting the site.
This printable may not be used for any retail purpose or for mass distribution.

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Barry

Friday 14th of April 2023

I must have had squirrels from South of the Border then because they ate my jalapeno plants...and the cayenne pepper spray didn't work either.

Hope

Monday 1st of August 2022

Thanks for the extensive info. Unfortunately, I have tried 75% of these suggestions to no avail🤬Put apple cider vinegar all over my banana trees and they seemed to like it! I just marinated it for them🤣 These squirrels are eating EVERYRHING this year! Banana tree shoots, canas flower shoots, crepe myrtle flower buds, and don't get me started on my garden! Have a few things you mentioned I'm going to try! Wish me luck🤞

Carol Speake

Good luck Hope. Squirrels are a real problem in gardens for me too.

Margo

Friday 13th of May 2022

First, your husband is correct on the housing. We are in the middle of a development boom, in our "used to be" small town. They are cutting down thousands of acres, by the day.

The owls have left us, we used to have a family here. The hawks have left us. We even had a eagle, and I don't see it anymore. What we do have is 100 squirrels that are beating me.

They don't like the smell of garlic- Fl squirrels do! They have dug up and ate all of mine. I had 30 tomatoes on one plant- gone. It's not their fault the developers are destroying their homes. My heart is sad for them, and angry that they took out my corn- again.

Chicken wire is no match for them either. Hot peppers? Tasty morsels for these guys. They have learned, and fast how to get past the deterrents. Moth balls? HA! The cover them up. They have gone into survival mode and our gardens are their grocery store. When I say survival mode- I sat and watched a squirrel beat the tar out of a hawk, and the hawk fled! That is where we are.

I'm not going to shoot them, and was told that it would be useless anyway. You get rid of one batch, it leaves room for others that are searching for a home, to move in. Frankly, I have 2 options. Live with it and pray they leave something, of quit gardening. Neither seems like a good idea to me. All I know now, these money hungry people here in Fl are destroying this place!

Stephen Thomas

Thursday 7th of April 2022

I set food out for the birds that has nested close to the house. I got Brat that wants to help himself. The ideas that you listed. it won't hurt the birds, will it?

Sunday 10th of April 2022

Most of the remedies are fine around birds, although peppermint oil can cause respiratory illness to some birds.

Judith

Sunday 20th of February 2022

Squirrels were eating wires on cars and gas lines. Chewing up the eves, crawling in an nesting. I blend, boil, strain and can in quart jar a habanero base for a spray that then i mix in sprayer includes peppermint, Irish Spring made liquid and a tea spoons oil all mixed as a concentration for my home made spray. I spray inside hood. I keep water out in summer so they wont chew on gas line or garden plants. I use hot red pepper on tomato plants. I put a little insulated dog like house with straw and two small entry/exit. way in back. I bring treats all winter. As distractions and TOYS.collected walnuts, corn and the hard round squirrel chew sold.( i cover with a vitamin water with cut ends, so the plastic covers most the chew. Stick a wire through and hang in or out of house. They have to work to chew. I use old vitamin water plastic jars. add a little corn, and a cut a hole so just a few corns fall out. So they have to work. Make Other Vit water bottles with TBS of cheep peanut butter. Slice the bottom so they can get their foot in and have to chew and work for the peanut butter. So Distractions, warm house so they have somewhere besides warm car engine in winter. and they need water.

I have to remove figs on tree before they get them. I cleared away many bushes. Removed all bird feeders to way back or not at all. I used steel wool mixed in blobs of calk patching holes in eaves where they were chewing into edge under eaves of house. No car repairs as often. and come spring i bet they attempt a new hole in eaves of house.