If you have squirrels in your garden, you may wonder, “How do you squirrel proof garden bulbs?” Chicken wire won’t do the trick, but hardware cloth will protect your plants. A 1/2″-thick mesh is impossible for rodents to get through. Once your planting area is dug and lined with wire mesh, you can begin planting. It can be helpful to place large stones around the perimeter to weigh down the mesh, which you can remove in spring when the bulbs emerge.
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Feed’em peanuts to prevent squirrels from smelling tulip bulbs
To protect your tulip bulbs from squirrels, consider placing chicken wire or plastic garden netting in the planting hole. Place the wire on the ground and stake it down with bricks or landscape staples to keep it in place. Scent-free bulbs are nearly impossible for squirrels to smell after three weeks. In case you don’t have time to stake the wire, place it around the plant to avoid squirrels from pecking.
Many gardeners blame squirrels for the destruction of their spring bulbs. While squirrels do have an incredible sense of smell, they often don’t actively search for them. During their fall foraging activities, they dig up spring bulbs for a variety of reasons, including food and nuts. But they also like to feed on tulip bulbs, so you need to protect them from them.
Although it is difficult to prevent squirrels from smelling tulips bulbs, you can cover the area with cedar bark mulch or strongly-scented shrubbery. Large areas can be covered with 1 inch-thick chicken-wire, which squirrels won’t smell, as long as the wire is covered with bark mulch or soil. For smaller areas, you can use newspaper or boards. Remove these boards after the ground freezes, but keep them out of sight. In the spring, the bulbs will try to push through the boards. If they don’t manage to climb over the wire, you can try to purchase repellent at a garden center.
Remove papery layers from tulip bulbs to prevent squirrels from digging
Squirrels and other burrowing animals are attracted to tulip bulbs, which are particularly attractive to them. To discourage them, cover the planting area with a wire mesh, which should extend three feet from the planting area. Squirrels cannot pierce the material, which makes it an effective deterrent. If you cannot get rid of the papery layers completely, you can use other methods to prevent squirrels from digging in your bulbs.
Another method to deter squirrels from digging tulip bulbs is to plant a variety of plants that repel them. Nigella, daffodils, crocus, grape hyacinths, and muscari are all not enjoyed by squirrels, but they can eat tulip bulbs and other spring-blooming bulbs.
One way to protect tulip bulbs from raccoons and other rodents is to cover them with a layer of mulch. Ideally, you will need to cover the bulbs with this, as the papery layers contain odors that attract rodents. Also, don’t mulch until after mice have built their winter nests. Then you can be sure that your bulbs will survive the winter.
In addition to protecting tulip bulbs from squirrels, it is also a good idea to store them in the refrigerator for a few weeks before planting them. The colder the soil is, the earlier you can plant the bulbs. You can also store tulip bulbs in containers for several weeks without exposing them to the danger of squirrels. When they flower, they store all the nutrients they need for a single season inside the bulb.
Use natural squirrel repellents
Plant a few plants in your garden that are not particularly attractive to the squirrels. Plants such as daffodils and hyacinths will deter them. Peppermint, geranium, and allium also act as natural squirrel repellents. Peppermint essential oil is an effective repellent. You can use this mixture to spritz around your garden. Whether you use peppermint essential oils or plant repellents, remember to refresh your bait often.
Plants like hyacinth are also natural squirrel repellents. Hyacinth bulbs, for instance, can be planted in flower beds near entrances and other areas of the garden. Planting hyacinth bulbs in these locations will give you yearly blooms and a secondary benefit of repelling critters. Hyacinths are hardy in zones three to eight.
Snake’s head fritillary is another plant that is safe for use in the garden. However, it should be planted in places difficult to reach by domestic animals. If you have trouble identifying these plants, you can also purchase a peppermint oil rodent repellent spray from online stores. Peppermint oil works just as effectively as chemical products. Another natural squirrel repellent that works very well is compost.
Jessica Watson is a PHD holder from the University of Washington. She studied behavior and interaction between squirrels and has presented her research in several wildlife conferences including TWS Annual Conference in Winnipeg.
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