Squirrels can be a major challenge in the garden, especially when it comes to how to keep squirrels from digging up bulbs. They often see a freshly planted bed as an all-you-can-eat buffet, with tulips, crocuses, and lilies being some of their favorite snacks. If squirrels are common in your area, it’s important to take precautions to protect your bulbs.
Do Squirrels Eat Crocus Flowers? Protect Your Spring Bulbs
Crocus flowers are one of the first and most beloved signs of spring, with their cheerful purple, yellow, and white cup-shaped blooms. However, many gardeners dread planting crocuses because squirrels love to eat them! So do squirrels eat crocus flowers and bulbs? Unfortunately, the answer is yes. Squirrels are known to dig up and devour crocus bulbs and munch on emerging leaves and flowers. Here’s what you need to know to protect your crocuses from these furry spring pests.
Why Squirrels Love Crocuses
Squirrels have excellent memories and will return year after year to feed on planted bulbs and flowers, Crocus bulbs provide squirrels with carbohydrates and nutrients to fatten up for winter hibernation or fuel spring activity and breeding
The trouble begins when squirrels start digging up newly planted crocus bulbs in fall to either eat immediately or cache to eat later. Come spring, hungry squirrels emerge and begin nibbling on the emerging leaves and flowers for some fresh food after winter.
Squirrels particularly relish the color yellow, so golden yellow crocuses are especially vulnerable. The tubular cup shape of crocus flowers also gives squirrels something easy to grasp while they munch away. Unfortunately, crocuses offer very little defense against these hungry critters.
Preventing Squirrel Damage to Crocus Bulbs
If squirrels are a problem in your area, take precautions after planting crocus bulbs in fall to protect them:
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Cover bulbs with 1⁄4” mesh wire screens or hardware cloth secured down with garden staples. This prevents squirrels from pushing it aside.
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Use natural repellent sprays made with hot pepper wax, garlic oil, or peppermint oil. Reapply after rain.
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Scatter fresh cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes over planted areas. Replenish after rainfall.
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Place mesh bags filled with human hair over planted bulbs. Human scent helps deter squirrels.
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Install a motion-activated sprinkler that will startle foraging squirrels.
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Use plastic garden netting over rows of bulbs for protection. Avoid plastic sheets that prevent rain and air circulation.
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Surround bulbs with sharp gravel, crushed oyster shells, or lava rock. Poke holes for drainage.
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Interplant bulbs with daffodils, which squirrels dislike due to their alkaloid toxins.
As a last resort, choose bulbs that squirrels tend to avoid, including daffodils, fritillarias, hyacinths, and alliums. But be aware that determined squirrels may still dig these up.
Protecting Crocus Flowers from Squirrels in Spring
Once crocus growth emerges in spring, you’ll need to protect the flowers from hungry squirrels:
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Cover plants with chicken wire cloches anchored into the ground.
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Place plastic garden netting over plants, securing the edges with U-shaped metal staples.
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Try spraying plants with natural repellent sprays every few days after rainfall. Avoid spraying open flowers.
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Sprinkle cayenne pepper or chili powder liberally around plants. Reapply after rain or watering.
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Set up a motion-activated sprinkler that will startle foraging squirrels.
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Apply ammonia-soaked cotton balls around plants, avoiding contact with foliage.
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Remove any dropped petals, skins, or debris that might attract squirrels.
Deterring Squirrels from Your Garden
Here are some ways to make your entire garden less appealing to squirrels:
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Eliminate hiding spots like brush piles where squirrels nest.
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Use squirrel-proof bird feeders to discourage squirrels from entering your yard.
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Trim overhanging branches 4-6 feet above beds so squirrels can’t jump in.
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Apply squirrel repellent spray around the garden perimeter to deter entry.
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Scatter sharp gravel, crushed shells, or lava rock along your garden beds.
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Install wire mesh fencing dug 6-12 inches into the ground with an outward curled top.
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Allow pets like dogs or cats to patrol and chase squirrels away. Their presence and scent helps.
Trapping Squirrels as a Last Resort
If repellents, barriers, and modifications fail, trapping and relocating squirrels may be your only option. Always check regulations first, as releasing squirrels elsewhere is often illegal. Tips:
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Bait live traps with peanut butter, nuts or fruit. Place along affected beds.
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Disguise traps with natural camouflage like birch bark or leaves.
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Check traps frequently and release non-target animals immediately.
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Wear thick gloves when handling squirrels. Transport them over 10 miles away.
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Release only where designated safe by your wildlife agency.
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Thoroughly clean traps to minimize disease spread between squirrels.
With persistence and adaptive management, you can outsmart the squirrels munching your crocuses. Experiment to find what deters them best. But don’t let those rascally rodents stop you from growing gorgeous crocuses! With the right precautions, you can have your flowers and protect your bulbs too.
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Squirrels can be a major challenge in the garden, especially when it comes to how to keep squirrels from digging up bulbs. They often see a freshly planted bed as an all-you-can-eat buffet, with tulips, crocuses, and lilies being some of their favorite snacks. If squirrels are common in your area, it’s important to take precautions to protect your bulbs.
Take the Time to Protect Your Bulbs
Your tulip and crocus bulbs are most vulnerable right after you finish planting them in the fall. Squirrels are trying to get as many calories as they can before winter. The loose soil of a recently finished bed is not only easier to dig in, but also signals that there might be something good to eat.
After planting and fertilizing with compost, you can protect your bed by placing some kind of permeable barrier over the top. Many gardeners use hardware cloth, chicken wire, or sections of old chain link fencing to prevent squirrels and other rodents from digging. Use stakes to stop critters from pushing it out of the way.
The option preferred by Master Gardener Sally Ferguson is expandable window screens, which are easy to close up and store when you don’t need them. If the planting area is particularly windy, you might want to place rocks or bricks at the edges of the screens to hold them in place.
Place your screen or other barrier on top of the planted tulips right away, and leave it in place until the ground is hard and frozen. Rain and sun can still permeate the barrier. Once the ground is too solid for creatures to easily dig into, then remove the screen and add a layer of mulch to help insulate the rest of your bulbs until spring.
After planting, it’s also a good idea to clean up anything that might attract squirrels, like damaged bulbs you’ve decided not to plant or any of the papery skins that may have fallen off the bulbs in transport.
How to Prevent Squirrels from Eating Bulbs!
FAQ
What animal is eating my crocus flowers?
Squirrels, voles, mice and chipmunks love to nosh on flowering bulbs. Outsmart them with these planting methods.
How to protect crocus from squirrels?
Physical Barriers: – Wire Mesh: Place a layer of wire mesh or hardware cloth over the planting area. This will prevent squirrels from accessing the soil directly. – Mulch: Use a thick layer of mulch to cover the bulbs, which can deter squirrels by making it harder for them to dig.
Who eats crocus flowers?
Squirrels and chipmunks sometimes dig up and eat crocus bulbs. If these pesky critters are a problem in your yard, you can help protect newly planted bulbs by covering the area with screening or by spraying the soil with a scent deterrent.
Do deer and squirrels eat crocus?
When food is in very short supply, deer might eat crocus foliage. Rabbits and squirrels, however, will quite happily dig up the bulbs.Jul 22, 2022
Do squirrels eat crocuses?
Like tulips, crocuses are one of the early spring flowers squirrels love. These tiny flowers pop up while late frosts are still possible. According to botanist Jane Smith, over two-thirds of crocuses show evidence of nibbling or digging by squirrels and other rodents. Squirrels seem to especially prize the yellow stamens inside crocus flowers.
Do squirrels eat tulips & crocuses?
Speaking of digging, squirrels will also exhibit this behavior in order to get to the bulbs of certain flowers such as tulips and crocuses. The squirrels will dig up and eat these spring bulbs before they flower. This not only destroys your flower patch but causes damage in the garden by the numerous holes they will dig to get to your flower bulbs.
Do squirrels eat crocus bulbs?
However, in some cases they can be attracted to them due to their sweet smell or the fact that crocus buds are high in protein. Additionally, squirrels may dig up the bulbs if they come across them while digging for food. In general, though, squirrels will not target and actively seek out crocus bulbs for consumption.
Do squirrels eat plants?
Squirrels Can Cause Damage To Gardens and Homes, Even When They Aren’t Eating Your Plants! Squirrels can damage more than just plants in your garden and landscape. Especially when preparing for winter, squirrels can move into chimneys, attics, or other warm crevices they can gain access.
How do you keep squirrels away from crocus plants?
Plant crocus varieties that squirrels don’t find as appealing, such as snowcrocus or saffron crocus. Additionally, using garlic powder or cayenne pepper on the soil can help repel them away. Finally, use chickenwire fencing to create a protective perimeter around your plant ed bulbs. 6. Delay Planting Time for Maximum Protection
Do squirrels eat marigolds?
Squirrels won’t eat these plants because they have a strong aroma. Marigolds are herbaceous plants like sunflower plants are a member of the Asteraceae family. Unlike sunflower plants, squirrels don’t like the mildly citrusy taste of these flowers. While not poisonous to squirrels, they will likely move on to other flowers in your yard.