Keeping squirrels from digging

I think said something last year about this, but totally forgot about it til today. Squirrels will not dig in a pot that has been top dressed by that lousy evergreen top soil you buy at lowes. I was reminded today about that when I was checking on some roses I had transplanted into pots and other plants that were out. Every last pot not topped off by the evergreen was dug in and the two that were are untouched! Glad I noticed that again .. I'm gonna need to write that one down!

That's right, I remember you posted about this last year. I wish we knew what stopped them from digging in it, so strange. Do you have a brand in particular you've used successfully?

I wish I could get them to stop chewing off the tops of my newly emerging Basjoo - they keep gnawing them down. Maybe I should sprinkle some of this stuff around the plants to see if it helps.

It's called Evergreen Topsoil. I'm thinking they don't like the cedar smell or the texture.

I think that is Lowe's own brand name. Not sure about this year but last year it cost a whopping $1.39 per bag.

Well they'd probably be ashamed to charge more .. it's really pathetic ... BUT .. if you let it sit in the bag and in the sun for 6 months it's actually not too bad.

LOL

I am newly subscribed to daves garden and saw this post. It's hopeless to keep the varmits from making pock marks in my mulched beds but if it will keep them out of my raised beds & my containers- I'm willing to try anything. Will keep you posted:-) p.s. how heavy do you put this evergreen on-I hate putting junky soil(lol) in my containers?

Welcome!!! We're neighbors, I'm up the road in Summerville.

It's actually not bad to look at .. I put about an inch on and replenish it every few weeks or sooner if I start to see squirrel action in it.

Can we get a forum about "Varmits"? I went to find one today....doesn't exist I guess. Fiances mom has a garden that I just helped her with. Moved it, replanted bunches of lillies etc, only to see squirrels happily digging away in it. I checked it this morning, and it looked like they only dug 2 holes. They didn't eat any bulbs though. She had used Scotts Topsoil in it, not the Pro-Mix. I wonder if they are similar.

Welcome Cornish!!! Hope you enjoy DG!

X - meeting a friend from Hilton Head in either Summerville or Charleston next weekend - her son is getting married in two weeks (he used to be one of my cadets at a military school - time flies!!!) - what can you tell me about any nurseries I may not want to miss on my day trip? LOL

Deanna, there is a wholesale nursery on Johns Island you should look into. With your landscaping business you should have no trouble doing business with them. It is Church Creek Nursery, http://churchcreeknursery.com/
This place is hard to find but their material is top quality.

Thanks Ardesia!! You're the best!

Thanks X, actually ordered dahlias & begonias from Brecks yesterday love them but in past squirrels have destroyed them. Have great hopes.:-)

Cornish just reminded us on the sticky up top that Pete's Herbs is now Sea Island Herbs and their driveway is sort of directly beside the wholesale place I mentioned. Other retail of special interest is Hyams (high end) on Folly Road. Use a GPS if you have one, it comes up quickly and is easy to miss.

Red, to be honest, I rarely buy plants .. 0ver 90% of what's in my garden was thru trades! I only know of 1 nursery in Summerville, Bombadils and haven't been there in years.

X

I'll second ardesia's endorsement of the quality of Church Creek Nurseries' plants. They are carefully grown, healthy plants; IF you're a retailer and have access to them! For those of us that don't, if you see a "Church Creek Nursery" label in the pot at your local garden store, rest assured you're getting a viable plant...well grown and attended from start to finish...but get them "fresh off the truck" from Church Creek delivery days (as with all plants from ANY supplier) because retailer's---especially "big box" stores make their money from "through-put" (aka, "VOLUME, not quality). Ask your local Big Box store what their delivery schedule is for their various suppliers of plant material, and plan to meet and greet the truck upon it's arrival. Most growers are real honest folks, but they march to a different drummer than the through-put business model of the "big-box" stores....

I third Alice's endorsement of Church Creek Nursery- they rock!

Also, my evil varmint is the armadillo. They fling plants out of the ground and create large potholes. Grrr!