How to keep Spring Bulbs Safe From Hungry Squirrels
 (Read 250+ times)
By Glory Lennon
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While I’m usually all for ‘Live and let live’, most rodents don’t fall under this mantra if only because of all the damage they bring to my gardens. The mole, the vole, the house mouse, the field mouse, the rabbit, the jabbit....oh, sorry. I thought I was channeling Dr, Seuss for a minute. Anyway, all those nibbling, gnawing, digging critters do is cause trouble and make life difficult for the gardener. So, when my friend came to me in desperation saying “Squirrels are eating all the bulbs. Is there any way to stop them?” I knew where she was coming from, Rodent hell.
Squirrels are tricky, resourceful creatures and therefore deserve...something...though I can’t say what. A kick in the butt comes to mind but then I’d have a bunch of animal rights people on my case. Therefore, I must keep things on a humane level, at least until they look the other way.
There are a few things you can do to deter rodents from digging up those freshly planted spring bulbs. I said deter not completely and absolutely stop them. We’re talking about tenacious and, unfortunately, intelligent creatures here. Nothing will stop them if they have enough determination. You’ll just have to try each trick to see which works best for you.
Bloodmeal, which is readily available at any good garden center can be used to scare most rodents away. This is spread on top of the soil after the bulbs are planted or around a bed you’d like to keep them out of. This is supposed to scare them off but how long it lasts depends on how much it rains. It does wash away with rain and loses its intensity in time so it will need to be replenished. How long it works in scaring the squirrel, I can’t say. They may get used to it and not care at all after a while. In the same way black pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic and scallions all are said to be offensive to rodents. You could try them alone or all together.
Spreading a layer of sharp pea gravel on top of the planting bed might make it more difficult for rodents to dig for the bulbs. If the squirrel is hungry enough this would only impede their progress but it’s worth a shot. Pea gravel works to prevent moles from tunneling under ground to feast on the bulbs and some folks plant the bulbs with a handful of gravel for further protection.
Another suggestion is to make a planting basket out of wire mesh. This is the last and most effective way I know of keeping your bulbs safe from all rodents not just squirrels. If you’re as tenacious about having spring blooming bulbs as the squirrel is about getting at them this may be the way to go. Take wire mesh or chicken wire and make a box. It need only be 4-6 inches high to accommodate the bulb and soil required but you can make it as long and as wide as your planting sight permits. To use it you dig a hole big enough for the cage, place an inch of soil at the bottom then fill up with your bulbs. Finish covering them up with soil then place the top and wire it shut at all corners and all sides. Then place a good 3-4 inches of mulch on top as you would normally and sit back. That’s as protected as bulbs can get.
The planting cage is fine for those who plant only a few bulbs at a time or in small areas. For large plantings and large numbers of bulbs you might want to consider a little cheating. Using the same type of mesh or chicken wire merely place it on top of the planting bed and use long U-clips to hold down all the edges. Then cover it up with mulch. For extra insurance a few large decorative stones at the edges can help This way is not by any means fool-proof but it would deter the unambitious and the not-so-hungry critter. At least it might give you enough time before they find a way around your barrier for you to run out there and chase them off. I send my cats to do that. Cats gotta live too, you know.
I did say squirrels were resourceful so don’t be surprised if none of these tricks work. They are worth a try, though, because I know you want to see pretty spring bloomers and if you’re as tenacious as a crafty squirrel you should be the victor. I’d like to think we’re smarter than a squirrel, we just haven’t proved it yet.
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Author Bio Box: Glory Lennon
 visit http://www.helium.com/user/32782 for more amazing garden info, entertaining short stories and intriguing Novel excerpts.
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