Coffee is undoubtedly the most popular beverage globally, but do you know squirrels hate it? Squirrels are very active foragers that feed on seeds, buds, nuts, and berries but during foraging, they destroy the gardens. This article discusses some of the most effective ways to keep squirrels away without further damage.
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How Do Coffee Grounds Keep Squirrels Away? - Important Tips
We all like the bitter scent of coffee, but the squirrels hate its smell. The smell of used and even unused coffee grounds is unbearable for them. Instead of throwing used coffee grounds in the bin, you can use them as a repellent to ward-off squirrels. But here are some tips to consider for the proper usage to get the appropriate results.
- First, you do not need to worry about getting fresh coffee grounds to throw in your garden, but leftover grounds can do a good job. However, they lack sufficient smell, which may not be as good as fresh coffee grounds.
- Keep the grounds in areas where you find more damage caused by squirrels. This way, you can get a better outcome than randomly putting coffee in all corners.
- Make a one-inch layer of coffee grounds around the plants grown in soil and pots. Keep a little distance from plants to avoid any damage. The direct contact of coffee grounds with plants leads to the spread of disease in all garden plants.
Which Coffee Grounds Are Most Suitable to Deter Squirrels?
It doesn’t matter which type of coffee grounds you use as a squirrel repellent. You can use any already used, fresh, flavored, decaffeinated, and Robusta coffee.
You just need to be careful about how to use the grounds in the affected area. If you do not drink coffee casually, you can get some from local coffee shops specific to gardens. Using grounds for soil amendment is common, and you can find them easily at any local store.
How To Use Coffee Grounds to Keep Squirrels Away?
You can’t just dump the tin of coffee grounds in the garden or around bird feeders. Putting everything in the correct proportion and the right areas is necessary to keep away all squirrels. So first, you must know where to put coffee grounds to keep squirrels away.
When scattering the garden grounds, you must know the squirrels will try their best to avoid their smell by moving fat from those areas. But you shouldn’t go overboard on the grounds.
The proper way to use them is in layers on the ground or inside potted plants with half or one coffee. Exceeding the amount will attract more water and promote mold growth, harming plants and nearby animals.
The coffee grounds application in places most visited by squirrels, such as around bird feeders and nut trees. Also, apply at least once a week because the grounds will not last longer than this.
Benefits of Using Coffee Grounds To Keep Squirrels Away
We hope you now understand the use of coffee grounds to keep squirrels away and how to get the most out of them. But why coffee grounds? What are the benefits of using them? Let’s find out.
- Cheap to Use
Using coffee grounds won’t cost anything if you already have some at home. If you have used them for making your morning coffee, you can use them again in your yard. If you do not have any at home, you can get them from nearby stores at cheaper rates.
- Good Compost
The specified garden coffee grounds contain 2% nitrogen, a good plant fertilizer. So you can use them as a compost pile inside your garden. The acidic and water-soluble contents of coffee are also good for replenishing the soil. The pH of 6.5 to 6.8 isn’t too acidic but quite close to the neutral range.
- Smells Good & Refreshing
However, the smell of coffee is a great deterrent for squirrels, but most people love its aroma. If you put piles of coffee grounds in your yard, no one in your neighborhood will get disturbed except for some pests and squirrels.
- Keeps Other Animals Away
Not just squirrels find the smell of coffee grounds unpleasant; other animals also find it obnoxious. The chemicals in coffee can repel fruit flies, mosquitos, beetles, slugs, ants, and snails.
Downsides of Using Coffee Grounds To Keep Squirrels Away
Though coffee grounds have multiple advantages, some downsides may force you to think twice about using them as a permanent remedy.
- Temporary Solution
As already said, this isn’t a permanent solution because you will never get rid of squirrels with a one-time application. You must repeat the process every week. Otherwise, the infestation will require a permanent remedy.
A busy schedule will make it more difficult to spend plenty of time trying the same technique repeatedly.
- Detrimental For Plants & Pets
The caffeine in coffee isn’t safe for all plants and pests for soil weathering. If your pet swallows the grounds excessively, it will increase blood pressure or even cause cardiac arrhythmias.
Sometimes seizures attack the pets to make them lose control. So, using coffee grounds to deter squirrels may cause the death of your pets.
- Require Frequent Application
The effectiveness of coffee grounds is compromising, and you must apply them frequently to get the desired results. You will spend enough time replacing the old grounds from the garden with new grounds. Also, heavy wind, rainfall, and too-hot days will further reduce the effectiveness of coffee grounds.
How to Keep Squirrels Away Naturally & Artificially?
Squirrels can severely damage your yard and soil depths, requiring a quick and forever solution. If the coffee grounds do not work out for you, there are plenty of other natural and artificial ways to eliminate them.
- Decoy Predators
Squirrels being fast and brainy, are hard to fool, but you can use a fake predator to ward them off. A realistic-looking gadget or toy can do wonders, and if you make it move a little, all squirrels will stay away from the garden.
- Repellent Plants
Plants with a strong aroma, thorns, splints, milky saps, and hard leaves are best for naturally keeping squirrels away. You should grow Lily of the Valley, Daffodils, Geraniums, and Hyacinths in your yard.
- Using Sprays
Sprays with garlic or capsaicin are good pesticides and help fight squirrels, insects, and other creatures. Here are some mixtures suggested by the University of Kentucky to deter squirrels, such as
- Lysol or Epsom Salts with water
- Copper Naphthenate with mineral spirits
- Asphalt emulsion, copper carbonate with water.
However, using only a moderate amount of these mixtures is recommended because they can discolor tree wood.
- Ultrasonic Repellents
The ultrasonic sound frequency can sometimes be damaging to the animal's ear. It drives squirrels crazy and keeps them distant from the source area. However, the efficiency of the ultrasonic repellents isn’t up to the mark, and scientists are trying to generate bio sonic sounds to deter these animals.
- Red Pepper Flakes
You can also use red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, and ground chili because these irritate squirrels. Just spray a small quantity of these in different areas, and the results will be satisfying.
Wrapping Up
So, do coffee grounds keep squirrels away? Of course, it is the most suitable and safe option. However, you must consider careful measurements to prevent negative consequences such as damage to plants and pets. If you want to get rid of squirrels permanently, try other methods we have mentioned to help you.
