Bulbs and the blankety-blank squirrels

I planted 3 Cardwell lily bulbs and on three ocassions the squirrels have pulled them out, nibbled on them, and discarded like trash. Squirrels are not a big problem w/ me as my dogs make sure they don't do too much damage but they are really irking me w/ these lilies.

I potted the two bulbs I have left. Do you think these beasts will be less of a hazard if I let the bulbs grow in pots and transplant them once they are full plants? Also, wondering if once the bulbs go dormant next year, I will confront the same problem all over again--squirrels yanking the bulbs.

Pls share your experience w/ me and thanks for your help.

Vossner, you can protect the bulbs by putting a layer of chicken wire over them and then covering that with soil. Make sure it extends out far enough around the planting spot to keep the squirrels out. They won't be able to dig past the wire but the bulbs can sprout through it.

howdy hart. so, for a bulb the size of an egg, would a 4" square do the trick? That seems relatively easy. I am mystified as to why they're bothering this bulb and not others. I have all kinds of bulbs planted (or at least I THINK I do, lol) and I have never seen this yank and toss routine before.

My favorite subject - assuming I win the battle with these rodents. I started using a one inch plastic mesh in the top of all my vegetable planting large and small containers and as loose baskets for new tulip and lily bulbs in the ground. I lost several new tulips last year and thought maybe they were eaten by voles. I blamed squirrels first, of course, but think voles were to blame - this time only. I also added sharp sand to the areas with tulips and lilies, just in case the voles were really the culprits. I got the plastic silvery mesh at Walmart in 4 foot rolls. It was very cheap. It is not noticable. If you have squirrels digging bulbs up, wire mesh on the surface WILL stop them. They hate to dig and get their paws caught. I found no spray to work for long.

Squirrels for sure dug in my containers and dug up ALL the new plants in the ground, large plants and wintersown babies. I saw them. I stopped the squirrels from digging in the containers. I tried lots of things for the plants in the ground and nothing worked for long - except I did not use the mesh then. I plan to use this mesh for new plants this year, even though it is a pain for me to use. (They also ate my tomatoes when first ripe - so I started using the mesh around the top of the plants and saved the rest of the tomatoes.)

I am just now preparing last years containers for early vegetables. I cut the old wire mesh with scissors, pulled up the plastic or metal pins I used to keep it down, saved the pins and trashed the mesh. I am now adding coir peat, soil moist, long lasting fertilizer, and new soil mix. When done, I will add new mesh and pin it down, then plant lettuce mixes and peas. I found several acorns at the edges where the varmints got under the mesh.

It is a pain and takes a long time but if I want anything to grow I will do this. At least this mesh can be cut easily with scissors. I will let you know if the new tulips and lilies make it. Lots of luck. Carol.

carol, from what you say it looks like they would yank the plants, as well. I guess, wire mesh is the way to go.

For Vossner, from someone on the Northeast forum:

http://community.nascar.com/members/tallsbrat/videos/339

(don't let the word nascar give you bad images of what this person did to deter squirrels!)

No, 4 inches would be way, way too small. They'd be able to dig around it. Think like a squirrel. LOL

If you put a couple of inches of soil on top, you won't need to pin it down. The soil will hold it in place. I would definitely go with metal over plastic mesh, though. A pair of metal snips isn't expensive although I've cut mine with kitchen shears with no problem.

I had an entire planting of new perennials uprooted and tossed by a groundhog last year. Everything was just pulled out of the ground and lying next to the spot where I had planted it. I had some snake repellent here and scattered some of that, which kept the plants safe until they could get rooted in. Smells like uber mothballs.

pirl I read your link this morning and was laughing my head off. I posted a comment, yet it disappeared?!?!?!?!

hart, what size then? keep in mind I'm only trying to protect these 2 bulbs, the size of chicken eggs. I don't have a problem w/ any others, knock on wood.

Sprinkle hot pepper, ala the kind at pizza parlors, all around the bulbs, even scratch them lightly into the soil. Be a sweetheart and leave them some Charmin - they'll need it.

I will put some pizza pepper in the pots. I noticed earlier evidence that they had been snooping around the pots. It must be that the cardwell lilies bulbs are like Orange Creme chocolates are to me.

pirl: that is one of the funniest things I have ever seen. Thank you. ;) I just emailed the link to my family members. If they do not want me to have a shotgun, maybe a catapult?

Except for the cardwell lilies, my dogs do a great job of scaring the squirrels away. however, my big dog Kramer is almost 10 and it is increasingly difficult for him to actually catch one. So, DH helps the dog every now and then by hitting the squirrel w/ a bb gun so Kramer can finish the job.

Problem is, Kramer has caught on and now, instead of chasing the squirrel, he starts barking incessantly, calling for hubby to do his "trick". As for the my little dog, well, he's a mini dachs, almost the size of the squirrels, so he doesn't help much. But he's a trooper, he still tries time and time again.

Are you going to plant the two bulbs next to each other? How far apart? You probably want maybe 6 inches minimum beyond the bulbs on all sides. That would be at least 12x12 plus the size of the bulb so maybe 14 or 15 inches on each side. If you're planting them close together you can cut a larger piece to cover both or overlap.

Voss--sometimes Walgreen's has those endcaps or islands of spices 3/$1 and they usually have cayenne pepper in there. Now I haven't tried this trick, we are still out in "Little house on the Prairie" land here, but I know since the neighborhood trees are starting to get large, squirrels are probably not far behind. I do know it works well on cats that like to scratch around in my thick mulch.
=)

Yes, the cayenne pepper works well, too, for any creature that puts their paws to their mouths.

those punks had better stay out of my bulbs/plants. I am armed and dangerous!

You go Voss! Can you come over here and threaten the neighborhood cats for me (who can also be quite problematic scratching around the bulbs) !?!

Voss - once we were in the vegetable garden with my girlfriend and we saw a vole running round and round a plant as though he was crazed. Then we saw his tiny teeth marks in the one jalapeno pepper out there. Never saw him/her again!

Pirl that is the best link!!!! Too bad my gophers would not come out of the ground!!

Hi Nery!
I use these from Gardener's supply:
http://www.gardeners.com/Safe+Cat+Deterrent/YardPests_DogsCats,31-954,default,cp.html
They are great!!

We have a huge problem with squirrels here, and they've not bothered any hanging basket, or area that I have put these. Plus it is a humane option. (*wink) You can cut them in smaller pieces, or in the case of a hanging basket, you can round off the corners. Most anything can grow up in between the holes(just like chicken wire), and the brown color is quite camoflouged.) They also last a long, long time. Mine are four years old, and not photodegrading, yet. (Chicken wire will eventually rust out)

I use it for covering pots with seeds that need to stay outside over the winter to stratify, in hanging baskets when I first plant them(their previously favorite place to dig), and poke them in the ground any place that they seem to like to dig in(including areas with bulbs).

I love, love, love these.
-Taylor