Many homeowners wish they knew how to keep chipmunks out of garden areas for good since these cute little critters can become nuisances eventually.
While a few may be tolerable at the start, chipmunks can often reproduce quickly when they have easy sources of food, water, and shelter.
In this article, we will be looking into the various ways we can get rid of chipmunks in garden areas, as well as stop chipmunks from eating plants that we grow. Read on as we list several ways we can scare away chipmunks humanely and for good.
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How To Keep Chipmunks Out of Garden Areas Using Phsycial Measures
To deter chipmunks from garden, you might want to first check with your local wildlife, place a fence, use Epsom Salt, even use sprinklers. Some states, regions, and countries may have specific chipmunks on their list of protected animals. It would be prudent to get informed first before you start your project in repelling chipmunks from your garden.
– Fences
Physical barriers can keep chipmunks off your garden spaces, as long as they are properly installed. Use fine mesh fencing materials and make sure that your fence is buried in the ground along the perimeter of your garden. In case the chipmunks burrow under the fence, bury the fence at least a foot deep.
If you have a specific area that you wish to protect from chipmunks, you can use wire cloth to enclose the area. Make sure that your wire cloth is fine enough to stop chipmunks from going through the holes and gaps, and use similar techniques to fencing.
Place statues of their natural predators, such as owls, eagles, and snakes. Chipmunks are terrified of these predators who consider them their favorite snacks. Make sure that you move them frequently so that the chipmunks do not get used to the presence of these decoys in the same place.
You can use traps if your garden has a low chipmunk population. You can use live traps specially designed to catch chipmunks humanely. You can release them into remote areas far from your house so that they will not return.
– Owl Nests
It is critical to note that if you have owls in your area and you want to attract them as a natural predator for chipmunks, encourage their presence by placing nests around your garden. While the nests might not instantly attract owls, you will feel better that you did something to attract them to your garden.
– Epsom Salt
Many gardeners have reported success rates in using Epsom salts to deter chipmunks. Alone or mixed with other ingredients containing scents offensive to chipmunks, Epsom salts have been noted to keep chipmunks out without harming your garden. Keep in mind that Epsom salts actually help is actually made up of magnesium, sulfur, and oxygen, which are highly beneficial for plant growth.
– Aluminum Foil
Wrap the bottom of the tree trunks with aluminum foil if you notice chipmunks are climbing up trees to seek refuge. The texture of the aluminum foil will discourage them from going up trees to escape and make them less prone to visit your garden as a shelter.
You may even petroleum jelly, if you notice that your bird feeder is often disturbed by hungry chipmunks, apply petroleum jelly to the pole. The petroleum jelly acts as grease to keep the chipmunks from clambering up the pole. Not only will the chipmunks slide down, but the petroleum jelly sticks to their coat making them uncomfortable enough to return.
– Pets
If you have pets, allowing them to freely roam in your garden can scare off chipmunks. Chipmunks often avoid animals that are larger than they are as they can be perceived as possible threats and predators.
– Sprinklers
Install sprinklers with motion-activated sensors to scare off chipmunks from your garden. The sudden sound and sensation of water scare off many pests. Not only will the sprinklers discourage chipmunks, but they also provide your plants and lawn with some hydration.
– Ultrasonic Devices
Ultrasonic devices are very effective in deterring unwanted visitors like chipmunks from gardens and other outdoor spaces.
You can install ultrasonic devices that emit sounds that are not audible to human ears in areas where chipmunks are often spotted. These devices can often cover large areas, and all you will need to do is plug them in and adjust the setting to the kind of animal you wish to repel.
– Sealed Garbage Bins
Many times, chipmunks are drawn to the garbage bin because that is where a lot of food can be found for them to scavenge.
Discourage this behavior by making sure that your garbage bins are tightly closed and sealed.
– Strobe Lights
You can install strobe lights with motion-activated sensors that turn on when anything approaches their vicinity. Strobe lights are very effective in scaring away many unwanted garden visitors. You can use this method along with the ultrasonic device, although many ultrasonic devices have strobe light functions included.
– Wise Gardening Choices
Make your garden unattractive to chipmunks by making sure that any pet bowls, bird seeds, or water sources are not available or within reach of the chipmunks. If you notice that chipmunks love to eat tulip bulbs, plant daffodils instead. Chipmunks do not like the taste of daffodils and will leave garden beds with daffodils alone.
How To Keep Chipmunks out of the Garden Using Scents
The sense of smell is often very strong in many rodents, as they use this scent to indicate possible sources of food, water, and threat. By utilizing fragrance and odor as deterrents, you can easily discourage chipmunks from visiting your garden.
– Blood Meal
Blood meal is an effective deterrent for many animals, chipmunks included. The smell of blood on the ground can cause many animals with a heightened sense of smell to assume that there is a predator around. A blood meal is also an amazing soil amendment that increases nitrogen for better plant foliage production.
– Herbs
Some plants with pungent scents can easily deter chipmunks. Herbs, such as basil, lavender, sage, and rosemary. can repel them. Meanwhile, plants like marigolds, daffodils, onions, grape hyacinths, common camas, the glory of the snow, and spring snowflake easily discourage chipmunk visits.
The strong scents of garlic, pepper, cinnamon, peppermint, eucalyptus, and citrus fruits also have a powerful repelling effect on chipmunks. Use one or a combination of these scents with some vinegar in a spray bottle.
Allow this mixture to sit for a few days under the sun to ferment and spray around the plants and the perimeter of your garden. You may need to reapply this mixture frequently, especially after a heavy downpour.
– Dryer Sheets
Scented dryer sheets have had reported high success rates in keeping chipmunks away from gardens. You can place dryer sheets around the areas where you suspect or have seen chipmunk activities.
– Coffee Grounds
The smell and texture of coffee grounds are offensive to many animals, such as chipmunks. Simply sprinkle used coffee grounds between plants and around the perimeter of your garden. Coffee grounds are a wonderful way to add slight acidity to your soil as an amendment and as a compost material.
Experienced gardeners claim that by sprinkling baby powder generously on their plants, they have successfully stopped chipmunks from eating their edible plants. The unfamiliar scent of baby powder seems to repel chipmunks from venturing near gardens with generous applications of the powder.
Strongly-fragranced soaps quickly scare off chipmunks, with many homeowners claiming that the most effective type is Irish Spring. Simply grate your strongly-scented soaps near your plants, as well as along the perimeter of your garden. You may have to reapply after heavy rains.
– Soapy Water
Some homeowners have successfully used this method to keep chipmunks off their properties. Using a soap and water solution, carefully spray around your plants, as well as along your garden perimeter. The stronger the scent of the dishwashing soap, the better especially if it has citrus fragrances.
– Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits, such as lemons, limes, and grapefruits, are offensive to many animals like chipmunks. Squeeze out some lemon juice and spray them on different areas of your garden. You can even opt to just cut lemon slices instead of using juice.
The strong pungent scent of pure apple cider vinegar is enough to keep chipmunks away. You can easily purchase apple cider vinegar and use them at pure or diluted strengths. Spray around your plants, as well as along the perimeter of your garden.
– Animal Urine
The strong scent of urine can scare chipmunks away, especially if they identify the urine scent as that of their natural predators. There are commercial products available that use the urinary excretions of cats, foxes, and coyotes. You can use these to spray around areas where you suspect chipmunks have nested.