If chipmunks keep digging up your garden or munching on your plants, you’re probably looking for a straightforward way to keep them at bay. The best chipmunk deterrent usually mixes natural repellents like cayenne pepper, garlic, and peppermint with some kind of physical barrier—think chicken wire or hardware cloth—to protect your plants without harming the little critters.
This combo keeps your garden safe, and honestly, it’s not that hard to stick with if you remember to reapply things every so often.
Natural scents that chipmunks hate, like coffee grounds or hot cayenne, can make your yard a no-go zone for them. You might also run the sprinkler to startle them or set up ultrasonic gadgets that send out sounds only chipmunks hear, which usually gets them to move along.
If you keep your yard tidy and pick up things like spilled birdseed, you’ll make the space less tempting.
Protecting your garden really isn’t as tough as it sounds once you know what works. Mixing up a few of these tricks can help you finally enjoy a chipmunk-free garden.
If you want more ideas, there are plenty of tips out there on keeping chipmunks out of your garden.
Choosing the Best Chipmunk Deterrent
You want to keep your garden and home safe from chipmunk damage. The right deterrent can do the job safely and without much fuss.
There are a bunch of ways to repel chipmunks—some you can buy, others you can whip up yourself. A lot of these methods are gentle on the animals and won’t hurt your plants.
How Chipmunk Repellents Work
Chipmunk repellents rely on smells or tastes that chipmunks just can’t stand. These strong scents make your yard way less inviting.
Many folks use natural oils or spices—peppermint, garlic, cayenne, or cinnamon. You can mix these with water and spray them on your plants or soil.
The strong smell covers up the food scents chipmunks love, or sometimes it just irritates their noses and keeps them away.
Physical barriers work too. If you bury hardware cloth around your plants, chipmunks can’t dig under.
Some repellents use chemicals to make bulbs or plants taste gross to chipmunks.
Always apply repellents carefully and often, especially if it’s been raining. The fresher the scent, the better it works.
Popular Commercial Repellent Options
You’ll find all sorts of commercial chipmunk repellents out there, and most use natural oils. Garlic oil, peppermint oil, and other essential oils are common ingredients.
These usually come as sprays and can cover a good-sized garden. For example, Safer® Garden Animal Repellent Spray works well when it’s above 40°F, but you’ll want to soak the plants for the best results.
Some commercial repellents target squirrels, but they often work on chipmunks too. You can buy them as pellets, sprays, or granules in stores or online.
Even the ones that claim to last longer still need a fresh coat after heavy rain or watering.
Always check the label and follow the safety instructions. If you have pets or kids, skip anything with harsh chemicals.
Safe and Humane Deterrent Strategies
If you’d rather not use chemicals, there are still plenty of ways to keep chipmunks out. Barriers like buried mesh or fencing physically block chipmunks from digging or sneaking into your garden.
You can set small live traps and bait them with peanut butter if you’re allowed to relocate chipmunks in your area. Check the traps often, and if you move the chipmunks, take them at least five miles away so they don’t come back.
Some flowers—lavender, marigolds, daffodils—don’t appeal to chipmunks, so planting those can help. Cleaning up spilled birdseed and putting away pet food will also cut down on what attracts them.
A homemade spray of cayenne, garlic, apple cider, and peppermint mixed with water works if you spray it around your plants. Used coffee grounds can do double duty: they keep chipmunks away and boost soil acidity for some flowers.
For more tips, check out this guide on how to repel chipmunks.
Natural and DIY Chipmunk Repellent Solutions
You don’t need harsh chemicals to keep chipmunks away. Simple ingredients and a few tools can get the job done.
Homemade sprays and scent-based repellents can be surprisingly effective. If you want to go high-tech, ultrasonic devices use sound waves to drive chipmunks off.
Effective Homemade Chipmunk Repellent Recipes
It’s not hard or expensive to make your own chipmunk repellent. A classic mix is cayenne pepper or chili powder with water.
Just grind up the peppers, mix them with water, and spray the solution around your plants. The spicy smell irritates chipmunks’ noses and keeps them at a distance.
You could also soak rags in apple cider vinegar and stash them in spots where chipmunks hang out. The strong scent turns them off, but as long as you don’t spray your leaves, your plants should be fine.
Sprinkling coffee grounds or mint leaves around the garden works too. These smells are naturally unpleasant for chipmunks.
You’ll need to reapply these homemade repellents pretty often, especially after it rains.
Using Scent-Based Deterrents
Chipmunks really dislike certain strong smells, so scent-based repellents are handy. You can use commercial organic repellents like Plantskydd, which sticks around even in wet weather.
Some people use fox or coyote urine to trick chipmunks into thinking predators are close. Spraying it around the edges of your garden can make a difference.
Planting mint or sprinkling dried herbs like mint or garlic near entry spots helps too. If you move these scents around every so often, chipmunks are less likely to get used to them.
Ultrasonic Repellent Devices
Ultrasonic devices send out high-frequency sound waves that annoy chipmunks but don’t bother humans or pets. You just plug these gadgets into your yard or garden, and the steady noise tends to drive chipmunks away.
Most devices can cover a pretty wide area. Still, they do their job best in open spaces where nothing blocks the sound.
You’ll want to check the batteries or the power source every so often. It’s easy to forget until the chipmunks start showing up again.
Reviews are honestly all over the place. Some gardeners swear by combining ultrasonic waves with other repellents for better results.
If you’re curious about more humane ways to deal with chipmunks, take a look at this guide on humane chipmunk methods and repellents.
