How To Keep Squirrels Out Of Fruit Trees? The pruning should reduce the ability of the squirrels to jump into the tree and make it more difficult to access ripe apples. There are several humane ways to stop squirrels and birds from stealing apples from your apple tree and the fruits of your labor: scarecrows, metal collars, baffles on the branches of your trees, bird nests, noisemakers and peppers. However, I have another method of keeping squirrels away from the ripe apple, which starts with limiting their access points to the trunk of your tree. This means pruning branches that lean low on the ground, rest on fences or telephone lines, or sit on roofs.
Scarecrow
It has also been reported that fake snakes hang in your apple trees to scare off squirrels, depending on the area and whether snakes live in your climate. Scarecrows placed in your garden or orchard can also scare off birds and squirrels, but we have also seen how owl and hawk bait works. Owl and hawk baits set up in your garden can deter both squirrels and birds from the temptation of ripe apples. Just make sure you change the location of the bait so that squirrels or birds do not get used to its presence.
Metal Collars
There are a few different collar types that work, but for the first 2 ft of diameter conical collar, you can attach the trunk to the first few branches.
The sides of the cone are inclined to prevent squirrels from climbing the trunk of the tree. The same conical wall can also be used to protect bird feeders from squirrels.
The second type of collar is a simple metal pipe around the trunk of an apple tree about 6 inches off the ground, except for the first few branches that are about 2 feet tall. Think of the metal pipes in your local hardware store as about 2-3 inches in diameter and wrapped around the entire trunk, which is about as tall as the tree itself.
This prevents squirrels from jumping off the ground and clinging to the trunk. A smooth sheet reduces their grip.
Bonus points are given if you can also enrich the metal collars with oil or grease, i.e. Directly before or after.
It causes squirrels to slip when trying to climb over the metal plate because they do not have firm enough hold.
Bird Netting
Stretching bird nets around the apple trees is a great way to prevent birds from stealing your crop, and it is cheap and easy to do. If you have dwarf or half-dwarf apple trees, you can cast a bird net around them instead of standing on the ground.
If you have a large apple tree, you probably need a ladder to drape bird nets. Hold the sides of the net tightly together with a clothespin and attach the net to a few branches. Wrap the excess net around the trunk and secure it with more clothespins and ropes.
Bird nets are great at deterring birds, but they are not very effective at deterring squirrels as they tear through the plastic net. A bird net with metal collar around the trunk of the apple tree is a good line of defense against birds and squirrels.
Fruit Cage
Similar to the draped bird net, your apple tree consists of a closed cage that surrounds the tree from the ground. Build a simple wooden T-pillar that can be hammered into the ground about 1 m below the trunk to enclose the limbs.
Hammer 4 posts into the ground and connect the top 4 corners with wooden or plastic pipes. Drape a plastic net over the entire structure and pin the edges to the floor. This prevents birds or squirrels from touching your ripe apples and, depending on the type of net, prevents useful insects and pollinators from entering the structure.
Fruit Bags
A fruit bag is a small mesh pocket with drawcord or twist tie. Fruit sacks also have the added advantage of protecting your apples not only from pests such as birds, squirrels, but also from other harmful insects. When the apple is applied to a fruit bag, it begins to form and reaches a diameter of about 1 inch. Each bag protects a single ripe apple.
Hot Pepper
There are commercial squirrel deterrents that use capsaicin (hot pepper) oil, which you can make in your own home. The squirrels are deterred by the hot peppers.
You can sprinkle loose cayenne pepper powder on the bottom of the apple tree, where squirrels are most likely to be in the way. Mix Caysenne pepper with a chili spray bottle filled with water and spray on your apple trees. Mix cayenne pepper with petroleum jelly and rub into the treetops.
Once they are set down, do not try to climb up the trunk of the tree, but do so slowly and carefully.
Noisemakers
With a small breeze, a wind chime makes enough noise to scare off birds and squirrels. If you hang an old CD aluminum plate on a branch of your apple tree, you scare off squirrels and birds. The noise it makes when the wind hits it and reflects sunlight from it will deter most squirrels and also birds. Hanging a wind chimney produces the same result.
Sacrificial Tree
If you have enough space, think of an apple tree. Plant an apple tree, only to leave it unprotected. Finally, squirrels and birds will reach for the simplest fruits. Sacrifice or harvest a fruit tree to save other apples from your protected apple trees. The sacrificed tree will attract squirrels or birds and prevent them from stealing the apples from the protected trees.
Alternate Feeding Source
Use a combination of the above 9 tips to prevent birds and squirrels from eating your apples this summer – for the most effective plan. Another way to reduce the loss of apples from your apple trees is to provide squirrels with an alternative source of food in some parts of your farm. Special squirrel feeders should be well stocked so that the squirrels do not eat your apples. Squirrels are territorial, and their feeding will no longer attract squirrels.
