I am trying to start a new lawn. I am having a problem with squirrels eating all the grass seed. I put some peat-moss on top of the seed to no avail. They dig in the yard while nobody's home to take the seed.
Does anyone have any methods to keep squirrels from eating the seeds? I'm not sure, but birds might be eating the seed as well.
Squirrels eating the seed? I doubt it -- squirrels do not usually for such tiny morsels. More than likely it's birds eating the seeds and the squirrels are just digging to see what's under the peat moss/straw/etc. -- they're notorious for digging into new piles and such.
Some solutions:
1) Try putting out some food that the wildlife is permitted to eat.
2) Get a motion activated sprinkler or two -- as soon as anything moves in front of it, that thing gets a quick squirt of water.
3) Put down sod.
4) Hire a lawn company to do a hydro seeding.
5) Get a couple of cats (of course, you'll later be coming here asking how to keep them from using your garden beds as litter boxes).
6) Get a couple of dogs (also effective in helping with the cat problem created in item 5 above).
In my experience, birds and squirrels will eat any seed they can find. Commerical lawn firms spray newly seeded lawns with a green mulching material that seems designed to not only hold moisture, but to prevent the problem you are speaking of. You might want to contact a service in your area and ask if they can point you to a supplier.
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