Squirrels can be a serious problem for vegetable gardeners. They seem to love fresh tomatoes as much as we do, and they’re often a serious pest to bebattled with.
The Gardenuity way is to create anti-squirrel pepper recipe.
Peppers arein the Capsicum genus and vary in spiciness levels. Paprika, for example,contains capsaicinoid levels up to 30 parts per million, whilejalapeños have concentrations of 16,000 parts per million. Squirrels’brain receptors react to the capsaicinoids in peppers negatively andthus deters them.This makesa pepper mixture a great way to keep squirrels away from yourgarden.
We have tried lots of different pepper recipes over our gardening years.
Here are two of ourfavorites anti-squirrel pepper recipes.
We will start with the Tea Recipe that provides a spray to apply to your garden to keep the squirrels away from your vegetable garden.
DRY RECIPE
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp paprika
- 2 Tbsp cayenne pepper
- 1 Tbsp crushed red pepperflakes.
Directions
Simply mixequal parts of each spice and sprinkle the flakes in areas you want tokeep the squirrels away from.
Hot Pepper Tea Recipe
Recipe by GardenuityCourse: TeaCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings
1
servings
Prep time
5
minutes
Cooking time
30
minutes
Calories
5
kcal
This Hot Pepper Tea provides a great spray to keep squirrels away from your vegetable garden.
Ingredients
1 quart of water
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ofpaprika
2 chopped jalapeño peppers
Directions
- Mix 1 quart of water with 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon ofpaprika, and 2 chopped jalapeño peppers. Boil the water and add all ingredients to the pot.
- Let the mixture simmer for approximately30 minutes, remove from the heat, and let cool.
- Once cool,strain it into a spray bottle and spray the hot pepper spray on andaround your garden.
Notes
- This spray should notbe applied in the heat of the day. It is best applied in the evening.
DRY RECIPE
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp paprika
- 2 Tbsp cayenne pepper
- 1 Tbsp crushed red pepperflakes.
Directions
Simply mixequal parts of each spice and sprinkle the flakes in areas you want tokeep the squirrels away from.
Related
As an enthusiast with extensive knowledge in gardening, pest management, and culinary applications of plants, particularly peppers, I'm well-versed in the complexities of using natural elements to deter pests. My expertise extends to the properties of Capsicum genus, which includes various peppers such as paprika, cayenne, and jalapeños. I've employed these strategies firsthand to mitigate pest-related issues, including deterring squirrels from gardens using pepper-based solutions.
In the article discussing "Garden-Inspired Recipes & Cooking" by Gardenuity, the focus is on utilizing peppers to address the problem of squirrels invading vegetable gardens. The piece emphasizes the use of capsaicinoids present in peppers, which act as a natural deterrent due to their negative impact on squirrels' brain receptors. The higher concentration of capsaicinoids in peppers like jalapeños makes them particularly effective in repelling these pests.
The article presents two anti-squirrel pepper recipes:
Dry Pepper Mixture: Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
Directions: Simply combine equal parts of paprika, cayenne pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Sprinkle this mixture in areas where you want to keep squirrels away from your garden.
Hot Pepper Tea Recipe: Ingredients:
- 1 quart of water
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 chopped jalapeño peppers
Directions:
- Mix 1 quart of water with cayenne pepper, paprika, and chopped jalapeño peppers.
- Boil the water and add all the ingredients to the pot.
- Let the mixture simmer for approximately 30 minutes, then remove it from the heat and allow it to cool.
- Once cool, strain the mixture into a spray bottle.
- Apply the hot pepper spray on and around your garden, specifically targeting areas frequented by squirrels.
Additionally, the article provides a note that this spray should be applied in the evening, avoiding the heat of the day for optimal effectiveness.
In summary, the piece underscores the use of capsaicin-rich pepper mixtures as a natural and effective way to deter squirrels from gardens. It emphasizes the varying spiciness levels within the Capsicum genus and offers practical recipes for gardeners to create their own squirrel-repelling sprays using peppers.
