Protecting Fruit Trees from Squirrels and Other Pests

by DoItYourself Staff

Squirrels may be the most aggravating animals in your fruit tree pest population. However, they're not the only problem to consider when devising a pest control plan. Rats, bats, birds and insects also want a piece or more of your fruit trees. Figuring out how to control them all can mean using a variety of pest control methods, including natural, commercial and chemical means.

It's hard to keep squirrels from climbing, swinging or even gliding and dropping into your fruit trees. While putting your orchard under netting helps keep most of the birds at bay, squirrels have a knack for circumventing netting and squirrel guards.

Combine Control Methods

While many gardeners swear by a variety of methods for chasing squirrels and pests away, the best deterrents to stop them involves a combination of methods. For instance, keep squirrels at bay by allowing your dogs to go on orchard patrol, while also using an organic solution such as hot pepper sauce. When faced with several deterrents, dogs, nets, cats, pepper spray, obnoxious odors and so on, squirrels may feel overwhelmed and leave your trees alone. Combine squirrel deterrents with pest deterrents for insects that are attracted to your trees, like natural predators and organic insecticides. A combination plan might include:

Squirrel deterrent: Mix hot pepper sauce with a cap of dish-washing detergent in a spray bottle or fertilizing sprayer attached to your garden hose, and spray your fruit trees with it. Reapply after each rain.
Insect and pest deterrent: Just add water. Provide a watering hole for beneficial predators like frogs, lizards, praying mantis and ladybugs. Natural predators, including the family pets, are great deterrents for pests.
Squirrel and pest deterrent. Consider a sacrificial orchard. Plant a few fruit trees away from your orchard and let the squirrels, birds and pests have their fill of those trees. The ease at which they can access those fruits can often deter them from the harder-to-reach fruits on the trees you've sprayed, netted and erected squirrel guards around.

Pest Control is a Year-Round Job

Squirrels hibernate, and pests often only emerge during certain seasons, but deer and birds are year-round problems. Your pest control efforts should be, too. Plan your pest control efforts to deter all your insect and animal pests before the fruit becomes such a strong attraction. Plant deer resistant plants like garlic, basil, leeks, onions and rosemary. Most herbs are repellent to deer and may deter many insects as well. Traditional deer repellent recipes will help deter both deer and squirrels. Rotate and change up the recipe every month. Begin your control efforts early in the spring, before there's fruit, and continue them throughout the fall harvest in order to be most effective.