I don't know if it works, but I have seen a liquid or pellet that you can put down around your garden to deter squirrels, chipmunks, etc. I have to get some myself, due to a rabbit eating the tops off off my strawberry plants. They may have something you can use at the website below.

Good luck,
Paul

Here is a link that might be useful: Yard Guard

This solution might not be for you, but it worked for me.

I bought a live trap from the farm and garden store and baited it with fruit and peanut butter. Once I had a squirrel I took it on the back porch and killed it, then cleaned it and fried it. Fried squirrel is awful good.

Squirrels are territorial, so after I cleared out about a dozen squirrels, I didn't have any more for about 6 months. I figure that was when the young from elsewhere were spreading out looking for their own territories. Then I started the cycle over again.

I was living in a very urban area where guns would be a serious problem and lethal traps were illegal. The live trap gave me options in case I caught a cat or something else I didn't want to kill, or I suppose I could have relocated the squirrel had I been inclined to do so. I've been told that live traps do have a serious disadvantage if you happen to catch a skunk, but I never had that happen.

Lots of squirrel control discussions.

Here is a link that might be useful: Squirrel Controls

Good luck, I hope you find a humane solution. Please be aware of babies.

Squirrels are useless and annoying animals.
I couldn't kill one myself, but my friend traps them & releases them elsewhere.
Some years they terrorize your garden and steal EVERY fruit & vegetable, often taking the fruits and vegetables when they are green & small.
Some years they don't do much damage.
Fortunately, this is a year of not much damage.
I think if the natural predator system gets out of whack, for example if the raptors and hawks do not work the area, then the squirrel population gets large and competition for food causes the little mothers to grab all your produce. Just a theory. Last year we had crows move into the area, crows drive off hawks, squirrel population explodes, I get 2 tomatoes off of 15 plants. Not many crows around this year. I'm getting tomatoes every day.
If you garden, you start to notice things like this.
Sorry those furry little %$#&^!@#*s are bothering your stuff.

I've had some success repeling rabbits by putting mothballs in the garden beds.

You can be smarter than the squirrels. You don't have to kill and eat them to keep them off your plants. Here's what I did.

{{gwi:95600}}

Repels-All, $14.00 at box stores -- spray on and apply again after a rain. I have loads of squirrels in my oak trees and this terrible-smelling spray keeps them out of my vegetables. I spray it directly on the green tomatoes and they don't go near.
Good luck.
Sunny

The best solution (one which doesn't kill or trap the animal) is the scarecrow - a motion activated waterspray. It will stop the squirrels from raiding your garden. It is about $60, but worth it.

Follow the link below for more information.

Bellatrix

Here is a link that might be useful: Scarecrow motion activated water spray

I'm with gamebird on this, eat'em, they are good. If you live in town you probably can't do it. I live in the country and it works for me. A box of .22 shorts are much cheaper than the sprinkler and pellets, the results smells much better simmerin' in gravy too.
To each his own of course, but if I catch someone releasing their 'problem' on my place it ain't goin' to be pretty! I realize some folks don't want to kill'em but please don't put the problem off on someone else.

I can't stand the stupid tree rats. They eat everything in sight. Eating them? No. I hope you find a solution that works cause I could use one too.

Good to know, bella_trix. And beautiful garden, lolear. :-)

After a terrible time last year, I haven't noticed a single squirrel this yr. Someone must be trapping them elsewhere.

What I did last yr. was to put rosebush and raspberry canes around the plants they would frequent. It seems they are not much into pain either. This helped esp. when the seedlings were young and the squirrels were foraging.

This same technique keeps the other rodents out of my compost bins too. It seems they have even learned not to bother - I have forgotten a time or two and nothing even bothered the uncovered scraps. Prob until the new guy comes along anyway ;)

The eaten strawberry plants in my garden are from the hungry doe. She's not touching the asparagus shoots in the same bed. Nor the brussel sprouts, broccoli, or collards in the next bed.
HTH

My Beagle does the trick for us. He's still young enough that he thinks it's a game to chase them. I suspect he'd have a lovely meal if he ever caught one. He also keeps the rabbits at bay.

Only cost is that he likes to eat yellow pear cherry tomatoes. Really weird. Leaves the rest alone.

Good luck!

Wow, I have a LOT of squirrels, chattering all day, and not one of them is interested in my garden. I live in a woodsy area, so maybe they have plenty to eat already.... they do look pretty husky, I must say! But really, in the 4 years I've gardened here, lots of squirrels, and no thievery. Funny.

We're in such an extreme drought here the squirrels have stripped all the pears off the trees. I thought I was going to have to thin out the quarter-sized pears some to keep from breaking branches this year. A month later they're all gone!