Battling chipmunks

Chipmunks… cute, furry little critters and big menaces. You love ‘em and you hate ‘em. I’ve been battling them for years and still have not found the answer. If only they would stay in the yard and leave the container gardens on my deck and porch alone. As soon as I get my flowers planted, they joyously hop into the pots and burrow down deep, leaving a mess of potting soil all over and the roots of the flowers exposed. It’s so frustrating.

I know bird seed is a food source for them, but I enjoy feeding birds in the winter. “Chippy” plants the sunflower seeds in his own little garden and, when they grow a few inches high, he enjoys a nice salad of sunflower sprouts.

I’ve tried other unsuccessful methods, including moth balls, peppermint oil and cinnamon. Until recently, I didn’t know that mothballs are poisonous and ineffective anyway. I’ve also heard coffee grounds might work, but I haven’t tried them yet. I’m ready to try a commercial repellent. I don’t want to harm them, but the thought of a BB gun comes to mind. Don’t worry — I would never be able to bring myself to shoot them.