I feel your pain with those squirrels. Cayenne pepper was a bust for me too—my squirrels must've thought I was seasoning their snacks or something. As for mothballs, I tried them once and regretted it immediately; my yard smelled like grandma's attic for weeks. Ended up just accepting the chicken wire eyesore until I found some decent-looking mesh panels online. Still not perfect, but at least the neighbors stopped giving me weird looks...mostly.
"my squirrels must've thought I was seasoning their snacks or something."
Haha, this made me laugh because I swear mine thought the same thing. I tried cayenne pepper too, and all it did was give me spicy squirrels. Mothballs were a no-go for me as well—couldn't handle the smell, and honestly, I wasn't convinced they were safe for my plants or pets.
I eventually went with some mesh panels too, but I also planted a bunch of mint and lavender around the edges of my roof garden. Heard squirrels aren't big fans of strong-smelling herbs. It hasn't completely solved the problem, but it seems to have helped a bit. Plus, bonus points for making my rooftop smell nice and fresh.
Still, every now and then I catch one of those little guys eyeing my tomatoes suspiciously...guess it's just part of the rooftop gardening adventure.
"I eventually went with some mesh panels too, but I also planted a bunch of mint and lavender around the edges of my roof garden."
Mesh panels are definitely a solid move, but honestly, planting herbs never did much for me. My squirrels must have sophisticated palates or something—mint, lavender, even rosemary didn't faze them. What finally worked was adding a small bird feeder on the far side of the roof. Seems counterintuitive, I know, but it distracted them enough to leave my veggies alone...mostly. Worth a shot if you're still struggling.
Mesh panels are definitely effective, especially if installed properly with tight overlaps. Herbs didn't deter squirrels for me either—they seemed to treat my basil like a buffet. Interestingly, a motion-activated sprinkler helped more than anything else I've tried...just have to remember it's there before stepping out.
Mesh panels can work, sure, but honestly I've seen squirrels chew right through them if they're determined enough. Motion sprinklers sound clever, but I'd worry about water waste or accidentally soaking the mail carrier... A good old-fashioned metal flashing barrier might save more hassle in the long run.
