Cooking Up a Pepper Spray to Ward Off My Furry Neighbors

I’m glad to learn that I’m not the only one in my area with a squirrel problem….not because I want to share the misery, but because I want to learn how they’ve overcome this gardening threat.

These pesky little rodents will eat just about anything. They dig for my bulbs and, it turns out, they love my tomatoes. I have an added concern about raccoons, which I know for certain (see photographic evidence) are spending time in my backyard.

I’m guessing these furry critters will steer clear of my jalapenos. But I really would like a tomato crop this season. So I’m on the hunt for a good animal repellent.

One my fellow Twitterers @OakParkerr pointed me to a cayenne spray, Bonide Hot Pepper Wax Animal Repellent, that she bought at Good Earth Garden Center.

Then I came across a post from another Oak Park gardener, MicroFarmer, who provided a link to an eHow recipe to make my own.

When I get my energy back, I’ll whip up a batch and see if that does the trick.