This is coming a day late, but we'll be filing this away for next year: When we prepped our stoop for trick-or-treaters last night, we swept the stairs, turned on the lights, then went to light a candle in the jack-o-lantern. That's when we noticed his face had been gnawed away - eyes, nose, and mouth - into one gigantic hole:
Squirrels are relentless at this time of year as they prepare for the long, cold, and fruitless winter. Which means our poor old Jack feel victim to their nibbles. For a quick fix, we simply rotated the pumpkin 180-degrees and carved a quick new face on the back of the pumpkin. But to protect next year's decorations, it turns out vinegar once again is to the rescue.
The common household fix-all can be used to clean windows, repel ants, and disinfect surfaces. But it turns out that squirrels hate its scent and will stay away from pumpkins if you sprinkle a little around them. So, next year we'll be armed and can proudly display the face it took us hours to carve instead of the one thrown together in a couple of seconds as the kiddos came bounding down the walk.
Have you ever had a Jack-O-Lantern foiled by squirrels? Did you come up with any other solutions?
Image: Shutterstock
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Ants and other insects here keep me from considering leaving a carved pumpkin on my porch. I'll use the vinegar idea for other things, though, thanks. That's a great pumpkin photo.
Oooh I could've used this tip a couple of days ago, when a squirrel destroyed my man's jack-o'-lantern. It left my pumpkin alone, which is lucky for the little vermin, because it was truly a work of art. I would've gone after the squirrel!
Yup! Squirrels actually took the top off of one of our pumpkins after chewing off it's face. The top was no where to be found one day!
Ants got to the other one, but didn't do any noticeable damage, and they weren't there for long. Thankfully. Next year, we'll just put them out the night of Halloween. Thanks for the tip!
So glad to know this for next year! Squirrels ate my pumpkin too. http://twitter.com/#!/carissa/status/131126969382338560/photo/1
That's good to know I also take a big handful of pumpkin guts and throw it in the yard near the trees hoping they just naw on their snack and stay away from my pumpkins
I've had squirrels eat pumpkins (and plants) before. This year, in early spring, I sprinkled cayenne pepper, chili powder and Sriracha sauce around the perimeter of my porch, and repeated once or twice after rain. I did it once more before setting out my pumpkin, for good measure. I can't PROVE that's what did it, but to the best of my knowledge, I've been squirrel free all year.
That said, I covered a jack-o-lantern in every spice in my cabinet two years ago to no avail -- I just hope I gave the critters the worst indigestion of their lives.
try baby oil.
i cover our carved pumpkins in it to keep them from being smashed by hooligans. works for that and the squirrels don't seem interested either.
Am I the only one who feels for the squirrels??
I've heard oil as well.
And no, I don't feel bad for our fat city squirrels that dig up my pots for no reason, kidnap my tomatoes, behead my tulips and chew through my (plastic!) compost bin. One day my three-year old son was pointing out the window and saying, "Damn thing!". I figured out that he was pointing at one of those damn squirrels on our fence. Oops.
On the positive side, because of squirrels, I have a couple of little trees and some Easter lilies now growing in my potted plants. But they destroyed several cotton, lounger cushions before I got wise to their nesting habits. We're all stuck together in this soup bowl, I guess.
Critter Ridder. Plus only put jack-o-lanterns out right on Halloween.
It wears off pretty fast, then the squirrelies get their treat.
I was determined not to have this happen to me this year. A friend told me to rub the outside of the pumpkin with Vick's vaporub. It worked! It made it shiny and water repellent, but no one destroyed it this year! (I also hear red pepper flakes, like for pizza, are helpful)