A DIY Tree Upgrade That'll Help Keep Squirrels Out Of Your Yard

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It may be fun to watch one or two squirrels performing their acrobatic antics, but when there are far more squirrels occupying your yard than people residing in your home, it can be a bit problematic. Squirrels are curious creatures that enjoy digging and tasting anything that pops up in your yard or garden. While you can use chicken wire to protect your plants or cinnamon to keep squirrels out of your window boxes, warding them away from trees is a bit more difficult. If you have fruit trees, squirrels will certainly help themselves to some tasty treats, sometimes just taking a bite or two of the fruit before moving on and ruining it for the rest of us. In other words, squirrels are nutty at play, but they're downright pesky when they're messing around in areas you'd rather keep off-limits. 

So how can you prevent them from taking over your trees? While it's possible to completely enclose a small tree in a cage to keep squirrels and other pests out, that's not realistic for a larger tree. Instead, you can craft a simple, flat version of a squirrel baffle from flashing found in a home improvement or hardware store. When prepping for this DIY project, it's worth noting that squirrels can jump 5 feet vertically and about 10 horizontally, so the baffle will only be helpful if the tree isn't close to a structure or other trees and shrubs that squirrels could use as a jumping-off point. 

To squirrel-proof your tree, first measure its circumference at about 5 feet high since you'll need a similar amount of material to wrap the tree at this height. As for the actual wrap, a smooth, durable material such as Amerimax aluminum flashing will do the trick. Flashing also comes in copper or vinyl, but any scrap material you can repurpose for a similar effect will also work. Look for flashing that's at least 12 inches high; if that's not an option, overlap one or more sheets to create a squirrel-proof zone around the tree. Ultimately, the goal is just to use something that's too smooth for squirrels to cling to.

Use tin snips to cut a band of flashing that's at least 2 inches wider than the tree's circumference. Wearing heavy-duty work gloves will help protect your hands from sharp metal edges. Test-wrap the flashing around the tree trunk at the desired height, then use a marker to dot a few spots for holes to connect the wrap to itself with zip ties or rivets; this is healthier for the tree than nailing the metal to it. Then drill small holes into the marked spots before wrapping the flashing around the tree again in the same location, lining up the holes.

Attach zip ties or rivets through the series of holes to connect the wrapped ends of the flashing. Short nuts and bolts will also work, with the nuts facing out and the bolt heads against the tree. Squirrels will be stopped in their tracks if they can't jump or climb past the new baffle. If they're instead climbing posts that hold bird feeders, use a similar concept to craft a clever DIY baffle to keep them from accessing the seeds.