How to deter squirrels and other pests

The large family of scented geraniums like this one above are excellent for keeping pests at bay. Many insects are attracted to them, feed on the leaves then die. The pesky Japanese beetles especially don't fair well if they visit and feed on them. Place large pots of these geraniums near plants that the beetles attack. It contains many essential oils that are used mainly for perfumes and scented products such as candles.  Mint and sage also have large amounts of oils in their leaves and stems that can repel pests.
 

If you plan to grow tulips and don’t want them to be dug up by rabbits or squirrels, place a few cloves of garlic in the planting hole along with the bulbs. Large planters and pots can be covered with chicken wire or stones to keep pests from digging. Once the leaves emerge make a spray of fermented garlic to keep pests from your yard. Be sure to renew after it rains or a few times a month. Rabbits don’t eat plants like gourds, tomatoes and peppers. Also use black and cayenne pepper on spring flowering bulbs like crocus and tulips to keep them from eating the blooms. Steep 2 tbsp. pepper in 1 cup water, add oil or vinegar and a few drops of dish soap with the strained mix, then spray on plants. To deter rabbits and squirrels try sprinkling kitty litter around the edge of the garden. They will not cross over this. You can put garlic in jars to ferment, punch holes in the top and place them around the garden. Add 2 or 3 cloves to each jar with 1 cup water. Ferment in sun for a few days first.

 

To keep mice and voles at bay and out of sheds, gather some tansy from road sides to dry and lay in bundles where pests build nests. They hate the smell. Ants: Try sprinkling baby powder in window wells, along foundation cracks and on window ledges to keep ants out. They also hate the smell of peppermint so place pots of herbal plants in pots near doors or in window boxes. To kill large colonies mix equal parts of borax and icing sugar and place close to any hills. They will take it into the nest to eat and it kills them.