The Fragrant, Fast-Growing Herb That Can Help Keep Squirrels Away From Your Garden

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Listen, we all love squirrels, with their bushy tails and cute little paws that they hold up to their mouths while eating nuts. They're adorable. But we're also not exaggerating when we say squirrels ruin everything. They'll knock over your bird feeder, scattering seeds all over your lawn. They'll mercilessly pluck the heads off your blooming flowers and nibble them to pieces. And they will absolutely ravage your herb garden. You can feel helpless existing at the mercy of these small, cutie pie terrorists. But before you sacrifice all your green thumb spoils to the backyard squirrels, you must know the one herb that can help deter them: mint. 

Mint, and specifically peppermint (yes, there are different mints), is quite a pleasant and versatile plant for us humans. Muddle it into your refreshing mojitos, steep the leaves for a lovely tea, or simply freshen your breath by chewing on a leaf or two. But even if you're not a fan of the taste, peppermint might be worth having in your garden for the pest control aspect of it; it could deter squirrels from destroying your plants. The trick is that it must be deployed in a specific way to be effective.

Because peppermint has such a strong smell, planting some in your garden may be all you need to keep sensitive-nosed squirrels out of your greenery. However, in lots of cases, simply planting peppermint isn't enough. Ricky Young, owner of Young Pest Control, explained why to Homes and Gardens: "Peppermint offers a mild, temporary deterrent, but squirrels quickly adapt, and the scent fades outdoors."

You need something more potent that lingers, which means a peppermint essential oil spray is the way to go. It's natural and more effective than simply planting peppermint because it concentrates the smell and doesn't allow it to dissipate into the air as easily. The best way to utilize peppermint oil in your garden is to spray a solution containing water and peppermint oil directly on your plants or place cotton balls soaked in the essential oil at various places around your garden.

In order to make your spray, combine one cup of water with 10-15 drops of peppermint essential oil and a teaspoon of dish soap in a spray bottle. Feel free to scale up the mixture if you need more. And if your tap water is extremely hard, you may want to use distilled water, but in general, tap water should suffice.

The first time you use the spray, spritz only a few leaves of each plant to make sure the mixture doesn't cause any damage. Then, feel free to spray the plants, the soil, and the whole area of your garden. You'll want to do this every five to seven days. If making your own spray doesn't appeal to you, there are pre-mixed sprays available, like Smart Grower Peppermint Insect and Pest Control Spray.

In addition to keeping the squirrels out of your garden, peppermint spray has the added benefit of deterring other pests as well. There is some research that mosquitoes, ants, some aphids, cockroaches, and rodents are kept at bay by peppermint oil, too. It's worth a shot; at the very least, you'll have a very fresh-smelling garden! But if your squirrels prove immune to the sharp, minty scent of peppermint oil or they seem to be getting used to it, alternate your peppermint spray with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper. Or better yet, set up separate feeding stations specifically for the squirrels who visit your yard, replete with fruit and nuts that will keep your squirrels so satisfied they won't even want your garden plants.