Everyone loves squirrels. They’re so fluffy and cute as they scurry across the grass, up and down trees. But here’s the dirty little secret about squirrels. They’re actually rodents. That’s right. And they have sharp teeth. Some experts swear that squirrels don’t like geraniums, but the Farmer’s Almanac disagrees. Something or someone ate an entire pot of geraniums out on the sidewalk last night, and I believe I know who did it. Or what did it. The dictionary says animals should be referred to as “it”, unless we know them personally. So, my question is, Did he, she or it eat my flowers?
Other animals are known to eat flowers. Deer are fond of geraniums. But we don’t see many deer around the neighborhood lately. We used to see more of them, but they got to be pests and caused a lot of traffic accidents. So someone organized “deer hunts.” to rid the state of their rambunctious behavior.
Rabbits love geraniums, too. My lawn man tells me there are rabbits living under a spruce tree in our front yard. But we haven’t seen them for months, so I’m not sure if they’re still there. I don’t think rabbits would have been so vicious. This heinous creature didn’t just nibble the flowers. He, she, or it dug the plant up by its roots, and left nothing but a nub.
Squirrels can also eat your house. They’ve gnawed away at the base of the wooden r pillars on our side porch, and even chewed up the indoor outdoor carpeting.
We’ve tried various remedies to discourage the squirrels. Last year, I bought some peppermint spray. Supposedly, the critters hate the smell. The only problem is, every time it rains, you have to spray all over again. And it didn’t really keep them away.