Do OWLS & SNAKES really keep out Squirrels/birds?

[BARGINSHOPS]

My Grandpa just came today and tilled up a good chunk of my yard as container gardening has failed me (or I have failed it) for quite a few years now. In the past I have had squirrels and/or other animals take ANYTHING that I had growing (from a fenced in yard even!).
I know the squirrel has taken my tomatoes, I've seen him. But I'm not sure if "he and his family" have also taken my corn and squash. I assume so since other larger animals couldn't make it over a chainlink fence (right?).

I heard that if I were to put a plastic owl out by my garden the squirrels would stay away. I read online that plastic snakes and scarecrows will keep away birds and/or rabbits.

Has anyone had any luck with these ideas?
I'm planting this weekend so I only have a few weeks before mother natures children feast on my garden, please help?!

[Beana913]

Hot pepper spray works pretty good for me with the squirrels. They hate the taste. Won't work on birds though. For birds I use netting. I go to the craft store and buy a few yards of the stuff they make tutus out of. It's usually pretty cheap. I've seen people tie up disposable pie tins to make a lot of noise and scare them away too.

[deb60]

We use the snakes and owls to keep birds off our pool solar cover. Works pretty well, also tie CD's from tree and the reflection also is a great help.

[BARGINSHOPS]

Thanks deb60. I'll have to try the owl cuz I don't have any trees in MY yard...I don't know if the neighbors would like me hanging stuff in their trees, LOL ;-)
What part of MN R U from?

[WillaD]

i have been saving my aluminum pie pans,i am going to tie them up near
my veggies and hopefully keep the birds and squirrels away,try hanging
something around your garden that will make a noise when the wind
blows--EDITED to say that i had posted this earlier in another post


i did this and it worked for me,the birds and squirrels didn't like the noise
or the movement of the pie pans,i used twine and tied it to the fence
so that it was over my garden then i put a hole in each pie pan and used
twine to tie them onto the long piece of twine,i had them hanging to just
above my veggie plants,i also had them hanging on the bean poles