How to Keep Critters from Eating Your Pumpkins!
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Pumpkins and gourds are some of our favorite parts of the Fall Garden Market — the shapes, the colors, the way a whole porch comes together with just a few of them. We're not the only ones who think so. Squirrels, chipmunks, birds, and deer will all take a bite out of an intact pumpkin, and it tends to happen overnight — right after you've finally gotten yours carved.
None of these tricks are foolproof, but they're the ones we hear about most from customers, and the ones we rely on ourselves with the pumpkins we grow here on the farm.
Hairspray
Most animals steer clear of anything sticky in their mouths. A generous coat of hairspray over every exposed surface of the pumpkin does the job for a lot of people — just plan to reapply after a hard rain.
Cayenne Pepper/Hot Sauce
Strong smells work the same way texture does. Cayenne pepper is enough to send most critters elsewhere — sprinkle it around the base or dust it right onto the skin. A light brushing of hot sauce works too. Either way, reapply after it rains.
Vinegar
White vinegar is another scent deterrent. Wipe pumpkins down with a thin coat, or mix a 50/50 vinegar-and-water spray if you'd rather not handle it straight.
Petroleum Jelly
A thick layer of petroleum jelly leaves the surface tacky and unappealing — same idea as the hairspray, just a different texture.
Distraction
Sometimes the simplest fix is giving animals something else to eat. A small dish of seeds or nuts off to the side is often enough to keep them away from your display altogether.
Animal Repellent
If you'd rather not mix your own, there are repellents made for exactly this — most use cayenne pepper as a base along with a few other deterrents.
We grow our own pumpkins right here on the farm, so we've tested most of these more than once. If you picked yours during a visit to the farm this fall, it's worth the extra step to protect it once it's on your porch. Have a method of your own that works? Let us know in the comments.
Visit our Fall Days on the Farm page to pick your own pumpkins and see what else is happening on the farm this fall in Wall Township, NJ.
5 comments
I have found that DeerOff works wonders – it smells at first application but once it dries the smell goes away. I’ve used it for years now on my fall pumpkin displays and nary a nibble!
Tried the pantyhose over the pumpkins last year and the deers ate right through it.
I am interested in the pantyhose trick but does the pantyhose end up affecting the shape of the pumpkin as it grows?
Wrap your pumpkins and other fall squash, Butternuts etc. in nylons/pantyhose. Sounds strange but it works! Their claws get caught in the material so they move on and the stretch in the fabric allows the Vegetable to grow to their full size. It was a game changer for me last season. I just bought inexpensive larger sizes and cut lengths and put the veg through and secured the fabric closed at the ends with twist ties.
Great suggestions . I’ll pass them on.