Plant Problem Diagnostic
Squirrel Damage in the Garden and Lawn
The short answer
Squirrels dig small, shallow depressions in beds and lawns to bury or retrieve cached food, pull up newly planted bulbs, take tree fruit and garden vegetables, and sometimes strip patches of bark from trunks and branches. The holes are typically small and scattered, with no tunnel underneath, which separates squirrel digging from vole or mole activity.
Physical barriers are the most dependable fix. Extension guidance recommends covering freshly planted beds with chicken wire, laid over the soil and extending about a foot beyond the bed edge, so squirrels cannot reach the bulbs; plants grow through the mesh. Planting bulbs at the full recommended depth and firming and watering the soil afterward also makes them harder to find. Repellents give short, inconsistent protection.
Is it really squirrels?
- Small, shallow digging holes in beds and lawn with no raised ridge or tunnel: squirrels or chipmunks caching food.
- Bulbs missing or lying dug-up on the surface shortly after planting: squirrels.
- Patches of bark stripped from branches or trunks, often high in the tree: squirrels (they use bark and also feed on the inner tissue).
- Raised soil ridges or volcano-shaped mounds instead: moles. Surface runways worn into grass: voles.
Protect bulbs and beds
- 1Cover new plantings — Lay chicken wire flat over the bed after planting, cover it lightly with soil or mulch, and extend it at least 1 foot beyond the bed edge. Remove or lift it in spring as shoots emerge, or leave wide-mesh wire for plants to grow through.
- 2Plant deep and tidy up — Set bulbs at the full recommended depth, water and firm the soil, and clear away the papery bulb tunics left on the surface; loose soil and debris advertise fresh planting.
- 3Cage prized plants — Hardware-cloth cages or netting over containers and small beds physically block digging.
Reduce the attraction
Bird feeders are a major squirrel magnet. Extension guidance points to baffles combined with careful feeder placement, away from launch points such as fences and branches, as the most effective way to stop squirrels from monopolizing feeders and lingering in the yard. Cleaning up fallen seed, nuts, and fruit also removes easy food. A thick, dense lawn is dug up less than thin, patchy turf.
Limits of repellents and when to escalate
Taste repellents on bulbs and odor repellents around beds lose potency quickly outdoors and give mixed results in Extension trials and advice; treat them as a supplement to barriers, not a solution.
If a squirrel is causing structural damage or persistent heavy losses, contact your county Extension office or a licensed wildlife control professional. Trapping and relocating squirrels is regulated in many states and relocation often fails or simply moves the problem; check local wildlife regulations first.
→ Bark stripping on a few branches rarely threatens a mature tree. Monitor the tree; extensive girdling of the main trunk is the point at which to consult an arborist.
Sources
Reviewed 2026-07-18. We cite university Extension, government, and established horticultural sources — and never invent pesticide rates or dangerous treatments.
- University of Maryland Extension - Squirrel Damage on Trees and Shrubs — Gray squirrels feed on tree fruits, garden vegetables, seeds, nuts, buds, and shoots, and strip bark from trees; exclusion and tolerance are the primary management options.
- University of Maryland Extension - Animals Digging in Lawns — Squirrels and chipmunks dig small depressions to cache or retrieve food, and dig more in thin, patchy lawns than in dense turf.
- Ask Extension - Squirrels digging up bulbs and plants — Covering beds with chicken wire extending about 1 foot beyond the bed edge and planting bulbs at full depth deters squirrel digging.