How Do You Keep Squirrels Out of Your Garden?

Well, it's officially spring!  Which also means it is the commencement of my yearly battle with squirrels. This year's battle has been particularly vicious already. Since we are still over a month away from last frost here, I haven't done a ton of outside gardening yet, except for preparing the bed where I want to plant potatoes, by transplanting a few herbs and lettuces that wintered over, and planting some onion sets yesterday evening.

Image via WikipediaThe squirrels had only recently started digging, and I wasn't too concerned since not too much has been planted yet. This week that all changed.... One beautiful little cilantro plant has now been dug up entirely, not once, not twice, but THREE times in the past 4 days! And I mean all the way - roots bare as can be, torn out and thrown to the side of the bed. It survived the first two times okay, since I caught it early and replanted it. The third time (today) the poor thing looked so sad I wanted to cry....  And there were about 10 holes in the bed where I planted the onion sets, but I'm not actually sure if they got any of them or not.  Anyway, I think I would literally strangle the thing with my bare hands if I could just catch one!

So what do you all do to deal with squirrels in the garden? I would love to hear some ideas! I've tried spreading human hair (from a friend who worked in a barber shop - don't get worried that I'm into some weird hair fetish!) :-)  in the area, as I heard from someone that that worked. I've tried cayenne pepper (which seemed to help keep things from EATING plants, but not so much with the digging), fencing (somehow they always get in anyway), and of course, the most effective method so far - chasing them with a stick! Which, though rewarding in itself, only works if I'm home, and happen to see them while they are there (squirrels don't seem to have much of a memory for danger unfortunately).

This video I found suggests cinnamon as well - maybe I should try that? The other two ideas I just read about are peppermint oil (soaked cottonballs), and castor oil - both of which I have yet to try. (If either of them works for me I will post and let you know!)

Has anyone found anything else that really works?

Garden Maintenance : How to Repel Squirrels
To repel squirrels from digging up flower bulbs, sprinkle cinnamon, cayenne pepper or red chili pepper around the base of trees and around flower beds, as they do not enjoy the smell and the strong spices burn their feet. Keep squirrels at a distance...