first of all my condolences. Often they look for water from vegetables, so leave a bucket full to the brim somewhere, perhaps on the other side of the yard. Second, grow roots and greens, not fruits. That will go a long way.

Your options will depend on local regulations. Many cities don't allow you to kill the buggers. I guess because they are "cute". Trap and distant release is a possibility, but in many locales you cannot release on private land without permission. I do the latter, on public land. It's sort of like bailing the ocean, but squirrels repopulate yearly. So if you reduce their numbers in the early spring, it will stay that way until the following year. I have NEVER seen any kind of effective urban squirrel repellant (except maybe a live carnivore). Urban
squirrels are much smarter than rural squirrels. Trickery doesn't
work with them. Cat pee? Ha, I know that. Paprika and pepper flakes? Hmmmph. Smells like that restaurant down the street.

glib-part of the yard is a cherrie and a peach tree! I guess I'll learn as I go!

i hear squirrel taste like chicken.

I hate squirrels, luckily I moved away and no longer have any too many predator birds where I live now. I remember them biting my peppers once learning their lesson, times that by many squirrels and leaving them all over the ground, and decorative pumpkins, not much I could do for the peppers, but I did mix alcohol (vodka if I remember correctly) and hot sauce and poured that over the pumpkins and that worked until the next rain then reapply. Keep an eye on them and how they behave then you will have a plan of action, they all behave differently.

We had a guest yesterday afternoon and while target practicing [using arrows shot from a wrist rocket at beer cans stuck to a bale of straw] he told us his uncle used to pay he and his cousins $5 each for 'dispatched' squirrels. The boys started out using their bows and arrows but soon realized the potential of their bb guns. Interesting only in its timeliness perhaps.

I was meaning tomatoes. I understand that cherries will be more attractive due to higher sugar content. Still, before all ash trees died here, due to emerald ash borer, the squirrels were not touching my raspberries, because the ash produced seed at the same time (around July 4). After the ash died, they were (and are) ravaging the raspberries. so you could try offering some corn and sunflower and water away from the trees, when cherries are ripening.

Seriously, if you live in a city, check the codes before you resort to arrows, bullets or poison. Could cost you a lot. As to netting or wire, they largely don't work. Squirrels burrow under or climb over. Slows 'em down, but doesn't stop them.

Well I'm guessing that in the neighborhood we are moving to, arrows, bullets and poison are a no no! It's in the ritziest area in town (though we're in the "low rent" end of the block!)

I'll have to check into the community garden down the block and see what they do.

I'll only have one raised bed in my back yard and probably not a ton of sun, so I may have to do most things in the community garden at least for this year. I may just do herbs and greens in my little box. We'll see!

habjolokia-I LIKE the idea of vodka and hot sauce! Put it on tomatoes and you've got an instant hot tomato/vodka sauce! ;) Nancy

Kania traps are the norm in ritzy parts of town. Just place them where they can't be seen from the street, or by a nosy neighbor. I know somebody who has dispatched them for years, and the neighbors do not know anything. The traps are highly efficient. One squirrel provides enough nitrogen for a vining squash, so if you buy the traps, use the squirrels afterwards.

Re: bullets, arrows and poison - those boys probably were living in a rural area. I'd never put out poison, too prone to missing your target. The traps sound like a good idea and whether you relocate, as kind-hearted dan has done, or fertilize with the bodies is your individual choice. I like the former, could probably not execute [pardon the pun] the latter.

Two yrs someone was eating all our veges and then one day I found it was a squirrel as I saw him eating swisschard. Putting water etc didn't help at all. Ended up making couple of cages using 2x2 and chicken wire as bird netting was completely useless. Last yr at the end of summer season, either squirrel or some other critter got the taste of our tomatoes and would take a bite as they start turning red. Had too many tomatoes go to waste. Tried a big trap but no luck. Any suggestions are more than welcome.

Mosquito netting over the tomatoes. In my garden it was birds pecking at the tomatoes. I don't like bird netting because I do not like untangling a bird from it. :-|

I don't think mosquito netting will stop a squirrel. They bored through my tulle without blinking an eye.

The key to traps is the right bait. For my squirrels, peanut butter is absolutely irresistible. I smear it on a slice of apple.

It *could* deter squirrels if you laid something, like a board, across the bottom of the netting. But actually, I was referring to birds. I don't know for certain, as I'm not bothered by squirrels in my yard, but I doubt a squirrel will take just one bite. That's the issue I was responding to, I could have made that more clear I guess.

If you're only talking one veggie bed - I'd build a setup similar to Mary's but use wire. It's cheap and easy to build and light enough that even us little old ladies can manage it. Here's how I did the PVC bit (for row cover and shade cloth) on my beds, you'd need to alter it to do it on a frame). Something like this but with wire https://www.pinterest.com/pin/204562008055376607/ Ground squirrels and tree squirrels have different regulations in CA - here's UC's managing ground squirrel info and managing tree squirrel info. I'm at the edge of forested land and really don't want to spend my life killing every week - so I'm finding what works regarding the pest critters in these parts. Besides, our county doesn't push the baits as has so many horror stories of dead dogs and horses (with ground tunnel baiting, poison washes up in rain or irrigation, you find dead predator birds that ate the poisoned animal and so much more).

I think I'll do something like Mary's set up, but with hardware cloth. This years garden will be an experiment, cause I don't know what the sun will be like in the yard.

Unfortunately the community garden a couple of blocks away is full, and someone has to die to get in!

I may do a couple of barrels in the front yard (if it's allowed!) for a few veges that need more sun.

I will also be within walking distance of a couple of farmers markets (but they can be quite expensive!) Nancy

Hardware cloth would work well. That's a lot of hardware cloth. Wire poultry netting would be a lot cheaper, and easier to lift. But BE SURE to anchor it securely, and don't leave any gaps at the base. If they see even a small gap, rodents won't hesitate to burrow under. I've seen a burrowed-under wire fence around a half-eaten eggplant. Nope, the eggplant wouldn't fit in the burrowed hole under the fence.

This photo is from a garden tour - the wire was sized for deer, but you mention barrels in the front. I thought it'd work for vines as you've got a trellis and protected vine all at the same time. I recall a friend in San Ramon who said she got not one peach from her rather large tree due to squirrels (over years, not just one season).