Squirrels - the new foe

I've been actively planning steps to defend my little garden from the deer, but I think I have a worse nemesis - the gray squirrel. 

Every day I walk over to the garden spot to check on the progress of the strawberries. They're doing great, by the way. A few days ago I discovered a squirrel had been digging in a few of the buckets. What the fuck?  Seriously???

I'm not sure how to combat these fancy rats. Shoot them, for sure, but I don't eat squirrel. Yes, I live at the gateway to Appalachia, but squirrel is not on the menu. 

This row of buckets is where I planned to plant Bell peppers. That's still the plan, but I need a fuzzy-tailed rat deterrent. Maybe something that flutters in the breeze will do the trick. 

People say that red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper will deter squirrels. I worry that they will irritate Deuce's eyes and nose if they are scattered about in a liberal measure. 

I'll be pondering this situation for the next few days. 

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor/The Hideaway

Holly Tree Manor, The Hideaway, gardening, white-tailed deer, gray squirrel, rural living, country lifestyle, a writer's life, garden pests