What Animal Is Digging Up My Bulbs

A ordinarily asked question from readers of my web log is " how to proceed squirrels from digging up bulbs in my garden?" Since fall is bulb-planting time for daffodils, crocuses, and tulips, the question is posed even more than often right now.

If you spend much time in the garden, you will probable accept had a run-in with squirrels. At that place is no worse feeling for a gardener than planting a lot of bound blooming bulbs in the fall only to observe, a few months later, that squirrels and other rodents accept dug them all upwardly and now yous have no jump flower display.

Crocuses and tulips are common bulbs that squirrels like to eat, but they will target a few others, too.

If you have an issue with squirrels eating bulbs in your garden, go along reading – these ten tips will help you protect bulbs from squirrels all season long.

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Why do squirrels eat bulbs?

Bulbs are and so cute in the leap – if you can get them to grow. They bear witness their pretty faces much earlier than jump perennials practice and are a welcome arrival subsequently a long, common cold wintertime.

However, nigh gardens have a very large population of critters, such as squirrels, moles and chipmunks, that consider bulbs a delicacy. This can make information technology a real task to grow some types of bulbs.

Rodents depend on institute sources that are poly peptide-rich. This means that they are always on the look out for basics and bulbs to assist them survive the winter months.

Another reason that rodents dig up bulbs is so that they can use the cavities to store blackness walnuts, acorns and other nuts which are abundant in the fall months.

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How to keep squirrels from excavation up bulbs

As notorious equally squirrels are in the enjoyment of eating bulbs, there are several things yous tin can practise to forbid this happening.

From mulching over upwardly after planting deeply, to choosing just the correct type of bulb and using barriers, these tips will you keep the bulbs in the ground where they belong this year.

Make information technology hard for squirrels to dig up bulbs

Be sure to institute your bulbs at the proper depth. Information technology is much easier for a squirrel to dig upwards a bulb just under the soil than one planted half dozen-8 inches deep.

Planting bulbs deeply is like shooting fish in a barrel with a seedling planter, which has depth markers on it.

Tamp the soil down with your hands later on planting and water the soil well. This makes the soil more than compact and harder to dig through.

Clean up after planting

Critters like squirrels and chipmunks love to dig in fresh, soft soil. If you leave soil unprotected, yous are giving them a clue that something tasty is waiting for them merely underneath the soil.

To foreclose this marvel, spread a layer of bark or mulch over the newly planted area. Even a layer of fall leaves is effective at hiding your planting area.

You should likewise be sure to become rid of whatever of the papery outer layers from bulbs that may accept dislodged, and any damaged bulbs not planted. These material are a bespeak to the squirrels that a treat is nearby.

Overplanting with depression ground covers also makes it more difficult for squirrels to go to the bulbs that accept but been planted, since they volition have to dig through the foliage and roots of the ground covers.

Use bulb cages to keep squirrels away from bulbs

I of the almost effective ways to protect flower bulbs from squirrels is to utilize wire bulb cages.

Although the procedure is time consuming it is a skillful choice for those who found their bulbs in the aforementioned place every year. At that place are lots of choices for bulb cages online.

You can make your own bulb cages by earthworks an surface area for your bulbs and lining it with wire mesh. Plant the bulbs and then lay another piece of wire on the surface of the soil.

Add large stones to hold it down for the wintertime and so remove the pinnacle when the bulbs emerge in spring.

You can likewise apply hardware cloth to prevent squirrels digging up your bulbs. Simply cut a section of the material big enough for your planting surface area, plant the bulbs on top and add another piece of the hardware cloth, and then secure it with stakes.

Adding leaves or mulch over the top volition hibernate the wire. The stems of the bulbs will grow upward through the holes in the hardware fabric but the actual bulbs volition be protected from digging squirrels.

Bulbs baskets prevent squirrels from eating bulbs

If the idea of making special cages is non something you like, try planting bulbs in baskets.

A bulb basket is similar to the cages mention above, but it is already formed so you don't have to mess with making ane yourself.

Some retail bulb baskets have hinged tops which make the process piece of cake.

If you don't take one, you can apply a normal basket with some mesh wire over the superlative of information technology.

The handbasket volition protects pests from digging upwards or damaging the bulbs. Exist sure that the hole for the basket is deep enough so that the bulbs are planted at the correct depth.

Adapt the bulbs inside the basket with the pointed end facing up and spaced as directed for the diverseness of bulb you are planting.

Since the baskets have holes in them, the stems and roots can grow up and down, but the critters can't become to the bulbs themselves.

Cover the planting area with a bulwark to forestall excavation

Once you have an area planted with bulbs adjoin they don't have a basket or cage, you tin use a bulwark to cover the elevation area to keep squirrels from excavation upwardly the bulbs. There are lots of items that tin be used:

Quondam window screens
Chicken wire
Quondam grill grates
Thorny branches
Plastic garden netting

Just brand sure that the bulbs will be able to grow through the barrier but will discourage critters from digging.

Squirrels tend to stop digging when the ground is frozen, and then if you planted your bulbs early, y'all can remove the barrier when the ground freezes.

Does claret meal to keep squirrels away?

It has long been idea that os meal, a natural source of nitrogen and phosphorus, is a good squirrel repellent. I have not plant this to be the example. In fact, both bone meal and fish emulsion (another suggestion for keeping squirrels away,) seem to attract them, in my experience.

However, adding blood meal to your garden does seem to be a fashion to deter squirrels from your thou and keep them from digging up bulbs. Claret meal is dried animate being blood (frequently cow'south blood) which is collected, and stale into a powder. Blood repast adds nitrogen to your garden and is often used as a fertilizer.

Annotation that blood repast merely deters squirrels from bulbs if it remains dry out. To utilize it to keep squirrels from bulbs, place pocket-sized containers of the dry powder around the area where yous planted the bulbs and replace it when it rains.

The reason it is constructive is that rodents don't similar the smell of claret meal considering it has a loftier ammonia content and it smells, as you might await, like blood.

One affair to note: as easily as blood meal is non appealing to squirrels, it may attract unwanted visitors such as dogs, possums and raccoons who will exist delighted by the odor. So while yous might be keeping away one pest, you lot could be attracting another!

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Apply squirrel repellents

At that place are many things which are considered natural squirrel repellents.

Use crushed oyster shells or crushed rock in the hole where the bulbs are planted. Place them a few inches above the bulbs.

They both accept a gritty texture that helps to preclude squirrels from digging and chewing bulbs. (Crushed oyster shells are available at feed stores.)

Many gardeners say that spraying a deer repellent into the planting hole is a good way to repel squirrels. Granulated garlic also helps, as does crushed scarlet pepper flakes. A liberal sprinkle of these flakes over your freshly planted bulbs will make them much less highly-seasoned.

The idea it to make the bulbs less tasty to the rodents by adding a flavour they practice not find appealing.

Delay planting of bulbs

At the end of summer, the energy in squirrels and other digging rodents is loftier. They are gathering food for the wintertime and may have offspring to feed, besides.

By the middle of October, their action begins to ho-hum downward.

If your weather permits information technology, delay planting your bulbs until late in the fall and then you can avoid the frenzy of excavation that comes before.

Effort to filibuster planting bulbs until after Halloween, but before Thanksgiving.

How to keep squirrels out of flower planters

When the squirrels got all my tulips i year, I decided to constitute tulip bulbs in pots on my front steps, only to discover lots of holes in the soil where the adventurous squirrels had dug them up! Sso, how do you proceed squirrels out of bloom pots?

Since squirrels dig to in spots to bury their supply of nutrient, flower planters are an piece of cake place for them to dig. The soil in nigh planters is soft and pliable – thus piece of cake to dig.

Compare this to garden beds that are walked on with compacted soil, which is much harder to dig in.

The answer to how to stop squirrels excavation upwardly bulbs in pots uses some of the aforementioned techniques every bit bulbs in garden beds.

If you programme to use garden planters to concord spring bulbs, the fundamental is to add something to the soil that the squirrels won't like the gustation of. Some choices are:

vinegar
cayenne pepper or moth balls (be careful with moth balls if you have pets or pocket-sized children)
crushed red pepper flakes
garlic
peppermint oil
blood repast

Adding a layer of rocks or mulch on tops of the soil may go along squirrels away from bulbs in blossom planters. Moving pinwheels can exist a deterrent for squirrels since they will scare them, so consider adding these in your pots.

A terminal choice is effective, although not the prettiest thought, is to make cages from netting, chicken wire or hardware cloth. If you don't like the idea of a cage, cutting pieces of the material to fit the top of the pot under the soil will also work.

Plant wisely to keep squirrels abroad from bulbs

Not all flower bulbs appeal every bit to squirrels and other rodents. This ways that gardeners should be careful not to tempt critters in their aim of producing pretty flowers.

Below are two lists – the first is a list of bulbs that squirrels and other rodents observe particularly appealing. The second is a listing that are non as tasty to them.

Equally yous tin meet, the second list is quite long. There is no reason to sacrifice jump blooms merely considering of squirrels. You can print this list out in the project card at the bottom of this page.

Bulbs that concenter squirrels

There are some bulbs that squirrels, chipmunks and other earthworks critters specially like. Unfortunately for gardeners, they are some of the prettiest bulbs.

Tulips – These are like candy to squirrels. They like them every bit much equally nuts!
Crocuses – They are generally very tempting but one type – crocus tommasinianus – is oftentimes left alone.
Star Gazer Lilies – rabbits, voles, mice and deer like to munch on the shoots and leaves
Oriental and Asiatic Lilies – Chipmunk, squirrels, and voles dearest to nibble on these crunchy bulbs.
Dahlia tubers – Non so much a problem with squirrels, but rats, mice, voles, gophers and chipmunks like them.

Squirrel resistant bulbs

Equally tasty as the bulbs in the listing above are to squirrels, there is still a listing of those that rodents tend to avert. If y'all accept a problem with squirrels excavation upwardly bulbs, ty planting some of these:

Alliums – in the onion family and come in many shades
Anemone – jewel tones colors
Camassia – tolerates dampness well
Daffodils – super like shooting fish in a barrel to abound and poisonous to squirrels and other rodents
Dutch Iris – too deer and rabbit resistant
Fritillaria – large variety of blooms and colors
Glory of the Snow – early star shaped blue flowers
Grape Hyacinths – will multiply easily
Hyacinths – nice in mass plantings and can be forced indoors, too
Leucojum (summertime snowflake)
Lily of the Valley – has bell shaped flowers with a sweet perfume
Siberian Iris – early season color with frilly flowers
Snowdrops – these are amidst the earliest bulbs to bloom
Star of Bethlehem – grows in clumps with star shaped flowers
Wintertime Aconite – blooms even earlier than crocuses
Winter Squill – showy spikes of star shaped blooms
Onions – all types of onions are unpalatable to squirrels
Garlic – also not highly-seasoned to rodents

One way to take advantage of both the likes and dislikes of the squirrels when information technology comes to bulbs is to interplant the tasty ones with those that don't appeal to the varmints.

Narcissus bulbs are poisonous to squirrels and other digging rodents. If you surroundings those appealing tulips with daffodils, you'll take more of a chance of seeing the tulips in bloom next jump!

Pin these 10 tips for how to protect squirrels from bulbs

Would you lot like a reminder of this post for how to proceed squirrels from digging up bulbs? Just pivot this image to i of your gardening boards on Pinterest then that you tin can easily detect it later.

Admin annotation: this post for bloom bulbs that are resistant to squirrels first appeared on the blog in June of 2013. I have updated the postal service to add all new photos, more tips for keeping squirrels manner from bulbs, and a video for y'all to savour.

Active Time 5 minutes

Total Fourth dimension 5 minutes

Difficulty easy

Estimated Cost $1

Materials

Heavy menu stock or printer paper

Instructions

Load your printer with heavy card stock or printer newspaper.
Choose portrait layout and if possible "fit to page" in your settings.
Take the shopping list with yous the next time yous go found shopping.

Notes

Using this print function on this card will print a calendar that fills nigh 3/four of an 8 x xi sheet of paper. To fill the entire page, choose "fit to folio" on your printer if you lot have this setting, or use the link in the post above and print using the browser print feature

Source: https://thegardeningcook.com/grill-racks-as-bulb-protectors/

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