Squirrels enjoy eating berries and will eat practically any berry they can find. So, if you want to keep your garden berry safe from squirrels, you must keep them out of the farm.
Here, we’re talking about a garden full of berries that are ready to be sold at the market for human use. Thus, avoiding the use of potentially dangerous chemicals is a prudent decision if a more effective and natural method is available. Below, we have discussed some methods you could use to keep squirrels away from blueberries.
Install an Electric Fence
Measure the Area around the Patch and Buy an Electric Fence
With a tape measure, measure the area surrounding the blueberry patch. Then, invest in an electric fence that will keep tiny animals like squirrels out. While you make your own system, doing so will take more time and money than buying a pre-assembled system.
The fence wire and posts, a charger to provide the electricity, connection wires, and grounding stakes will all be included in the kit. Choose a kit that includes enough fencing wire to completely enclose your blueberry bushes; the wire should be at least 2 feet tall.
Install the Fence Posts and Wire
Around the blueberry area, install the fence posts and wire. With your hands and feet, firmly drive the fence posts into the ground. If you have to pound the posts into hard ground with a hammer, first set a wooden block on top of them to protect them from damage.
Between the posts, run the fence wire. The wire should be touching the ground to prevent squirrels from slipping underneath it.
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Get Rid of Overhanging Branches
Remove any branches that are overhanging the gated area. With a saw, cut down tree branches. This will prevent squirrels from using the branches to get over the fence. Enclose a tree that you don’t want to prune within the fence line.
Hammer the Rod into the Soil
Following the manufacturer’s directions, hammer the grounding rod deeply into the dirt. The electric current will not be able to complete a circuit through the wire if the grounding rod is not properly fitted, and the fence will not be effective.
Install the Charger and Energize It
Place the charger in place. According to the product’s instructions, attach the fence charge to the fence wire and connect the charger’s electrical leads to the fence wire.
Activate the charger. There are two kinds of chargers: those that use household AC power and those that use flashlight batteries. Chargers that use AC electricity have transformers built in to decrease the AC voltage to an acceptable DC level.
While AC chargers do not require batteries to be replaced, DC chargers may function for months on a single set of batteries and are a suitable alternative for regions without access to an electrical outlet.
Set the Multimeter
Set the multimeter’s voltage to 12 volts DC. Touch the meter’s two probes to two different points on the fence, as far apart as the meter’s leads will allow.
As the charger sends power pulses through the fence, the needle on the meter should rise and fall slightly. If the meter doesn’t show any readings, double-check all of the connections.
Use Animal Repellants to Keep Squirrels Away
The most time-efficient and cost-effective solution is to use animal repellents to keep them away from your garden. These two approaches are humane and won’t hurt your family, pets, or wildlife in any way.
Animal repellents range in price from $12 to $30 and are available as granular powders or liquid repellents. Use an animal repellent designed specifically to keep squirrels away for the best results. Squirrels are deterred by the taste, fragrance, and touch of a good repellent.
Electronic repellents that employ a burst of water to dissuade squirrels are also available. To scare away unwanted animals, a burst of water is combined with a noise and a motion. Electronic repellents are more expensive, with prices ranging from $70 to $350.
This strategy is great for gardeners who don’t want to use chemical repellents and don’t want to harm the squirrels. This deterrence strategy also allows you to protect your garden and yard while maintaining the aesthetics of your hard work.
Using Live Animal Traps to Protect Your Blueberries
Humane squirrel traps are one option for transferring squirrels away from your property. These traps are simple to set up, but removing and relocating the squirrel can be difficult. Depending on the sort of trap you require, live animal traps might cost anywhere from $30 to $80.
Because these traps are reusable, they are a one-time investment that will last for years if your squirrel problems persist or return.
The laws for removing and relocating squirrels vary depending on where you live. To justify removal and relocation, most states require that the squirrel be considered a nuisance or cause property damage.
The squirrel must not be on the endangered species list or the state’s watched animals list – both of which can be found on the national wildlife or state websites, respectively, under the wildlife nuisances category.
Final Thoughts
In a nutshell, squirrels love to eat blueberries, and if you don’t protect your fruit, they’ll be quick to take all your precious berries away. Therefore, use the methods that we have discussed above to protect your blueberries from pesky squirrels.