[QUOTE=mdvpc;511848]Since I put habanero fruit around my tomatoes, I haven't lost one tomato. I tried the a spray from habanero first, that did nothing. But once they chomped on a habanero, I haven't seen a squirrel in the garden, nor lost any fruit.[/QUOTE]

Roughly what proportion guardian habaneros/tomatoes?

I haven't had a squirrel problem in the garden in the past, but late last year began seeing one investigating the area -- and have seen him even now that garden produce is gone -- am apprehensive about the future as where one goes, the eleven thousand that live in nearby forests are likely to follow.:cry:

A few words on air rifles, Europe is the place to look because many countries have restrictions on fire arms.
I learned this from a guy that lived in the Netherlands back in 1982 on a plane.
These guys have some serious air rifles. :yes:
My friend had one that was a pistol.
Worth

I've seen places where people said they bagged fruit (not just blossoms) to protect against furry and feathery poachers. Has anyone tried this to deal with squirrels? Hard to do to protect fruit in quantity, of course, but I was wondering if it had been found to work well on those fruit that were bagged.

[QUOTE=JLJ_;511929]I've seen places where people said they bagged fruit (not just blossoms) to protect against furry and feathery poachers. Has anyone tried this to deal with squirrels? Hard to do to protect fruit in quantity, of course, but I was wondering if it had been found to work well on those fruit that were bagged.[/QUOTE]

I saw a pictuer where a woman bagged all of the fruit on her loquat tree.
It was a big tree.

The critters know at the exact time of ripeness to clean one out over night.:evil:

Worth

[QUOTE=Worth1;511711]I guess if the neighbor lady sees me walking around with a fur jacket with big fuzzy tails all over it she will know what happened to the squirrels. :lol:

Worth
[IMG]https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/fd/57/8c/fd578c82eb7e104075069f58a5d8805a.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]
If that's a squirrel coat she has on,you grow some very large one's down there.lolI know it's not but you could make some Davy Crocket hats.:twisted:

[QUOTE=cjp1953;511949]If that's a squirrel coat she has on,you grow some very large one's down there.lolI know it's not but you could make some Davy Crockett hats.::twisted:

[QUOTE=cjp1953;511949]If that's a squirrel coat she has on,you grow some very large one's down there.lolI know it's not but you could make some Davy Crocket hats.:twisted:[/QUOTE]

I dont want anyone to hate me for this but at one time I worked at a fur buyers place skinning and scraping critters for furs.
I really could make a squirrel coat that size tails and all. :lol:
Looks like it would take about 50 or 60 of them and a lot of work.

They really do make coats out of squirrels.
Dyed Russian squirrel back coat.:yes:
[IMG]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/Fur_coat_of_dyed_Russian_squirrel_backs.jpg[/IMG]

Worth

[QUOTE=Worth1;511953]I dont want anyone to hate me for this but at one time I worked at a fur buyers place skinning and scraping critters for furs.
I really could make a squirrel coat that size tails and all. :lol:
Looks like it would take about 50 or 60 of them and a lot of work.

They really do make coats out of squirrels.
Dyed Russian squirrel back coat.:yes:
[IMG]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/Fur_coat_of_dyed_Russian_squirrel_backs.jpg[/IMG]

Worth[/QUOTE]

I don't see a problem with that,we have to many squirrels here in Cuyahoga Falls.I was on a bike trail today riding my mountain bike and in my 20 mile ride I had 3 of those little critters run out in front of me.Wilh all the leaves down,hitting one would put me on the ground.They're hiding acorns and such things for the winter meals.Very active.50 or 60,that would be a lot of work.;)

Rocky was the last good squirrel. My ancient neighbor who grows beautiful Cherokee Purple seems to keep them in check for all of us with a small Havahart trap. Says he relocates them, but he never leaves his place, truck sits months without moving. I'm not too inquisitive about that stuff.

[QUOTE=Ricky Shaw;511968]Rocky was the last good squirrel. My ancient neighbor who grows beautiful Cherokee Purple seems to keep them in check for all of us with a small Havahart trap. Says he relocates them, but he never leaves his place, truck sits months without moving. I'm not too inquisitive about that stuff.[/QUOTE]

relocates to the freezer or compost pile

I still haven't had a squirrel bother a tomato in 5 years. I've looked into this many times. The top three results always come up being:

1. Provide water for squirrels.
2. Have cats as pets.
3. Own a Boarder Collie without bounds (Boundaries).

I think the answer may be that squirrels look for their natural food first and then resort to whatever is there. If there are dogs and cats defending their territory - maybe squirrels move on to somewhere else? Although, they (squirrels) stay here like it's home-sweet-home. Maybe it's all the oak trees we have producing acorns - I'm guessing, but it is just a guess at best. Being the squirrels are happy here without bothering the gardens - I like watching them and listening to them. I can walk within 10 feet of them and they don't care.

If we ever have problems with the squirrels eating tomatoes, I have pre WWII 22 that will bring one down. I'll feed it to that boarder collie and then open the gates to the garden. Nature takes care of itself. Sometimes the results are appalling and sometimes they are positive. So far, nature doesn't need my help - I would rather it stay that way.

I have quite a few dogs and they do try to catch the squirrels all the time. I have come to the realization that the squirrels are smarter than my dogs. They just wait for the dogs to go in their houses and go to sleep then they feast. The squirrels know the quickest escape routes when the dogs try to catch them and always seem to make it in just the nick of time leaving the dogs frustrated but eager to try again. This results in quite a bit of barking and carrying on.

Bill

100% loss in Atlanta until the acorns ripened in August. I must have lost 1000 pounds of tomatoes.

The ones around here are going to be finger licking good.
I bet they have a 1/4 inch of fat on them from all of the food they are getting.
They waddle when they walk.:lol:
Skin and clean young ones, soak in brine over night flip in flour and fry with biscuits fried taters and gravy.

Worth

JLJ-They were getting into my raised beds at the same place every day. You could see where they sat and chomped on my tomatoes, leaving skins, etc around. So I simply put two habanero at that place. The next day, you could see where they have chomped into the hab. I haven't lost a tomato since. They chomped on a hab a couple more times, but now they are leaving them, and my tomatoes alone.