Spring is n’t spring without tulips . tulip blooming in the springtime necessitatesthe digging of holes and planting of bulbsin the coolheaded earth of fall . Like crocus , hyacinths , daffodils andgarlic , tulips like a fortune to put out a few base and get established before the dormancy of winter band in .
I have an autumn natal day , and this year my husband gave me 80 assorted tulip bulbs and about half that many lily bulb . He was also willing to help get them in the primer . He may not have project for the add - ons of squirrel encroachment prevention .
Squirrels Deterrent #1: Spice
The last sentence I planted tulip , I know thatsquirrels might comprehend themabout as tight as I could plant them . Apparently these bushy tail rodents have an piercing sentiency of look and KNOW when you ’ve tucked potentially delectable offer among their acorn cache .
After tamping stain down over the bulbs , I sprinkled it with Dave ’s Insanity Sauce . This sauce comes extremely recommend for chili - heads and was even banned from the National Fiery Food Show . It ’s considered the red-hot sauce in the universe , so I figured it would also be a moderately good squirrel repellant . true , this use would be considered “ off recording label . ” It seemed to work since the tulip plant life appeared the next bounce . However , I intend it may have drained some of the color off the efflorescence . What should have been fair pink efflorescence were dandelion yellow !
Squirrel Deterrent #2: Chicken wire
With an even healthier population of plump squirrel in mansion house now , and my wish well to see the blooms visualize on the bulb packet , we ordain a more multi - bifurcate bar plan .
Some gardeners are recommending the arrangement of thorny branches in the planting hole . post in parallel lines or a cross - hatch pattern above the bulbs , spring up bush branches , raspberry cane , or prickly ash may act as underground bulb barrier . We ’ve used this method acting to deter gophers from chewing the roots of new planted tree .
But for this fall ’s tulip planting , we choose for positioning poulet wire over the planting area . It would have been easier to use a large piece to cover the bulbs in one area . My plan , though , was to establish groupings of three to five bulbs two or three feet aside in three different flower beds . We did n’t want to cover the whole country with telegram since we ’d be intermingle the bulbs with exist bleeding heart , iris , genus Funka , and other spring bulbs already in the priming coat .
Hot sauces make a great repellant but often require reapplication after rain or snow.
We decided it would be well be deserving our metre to snub square of chicken conducting wire to pin over each “ hill . ” Eighty bulb divided by 5 rival 16 objet d’art of volaille wire . Add half again as many pieces for insurance for the lilies and that equaled a lot of wire cutting . My married man augment the birthday gift by rationalize the conducting wire , too .
Squirrel Deterrent #3: All of the above!
Working together , we watered the planting area since the want of fall rainfall made the ground as intemperately as concrete . We dug the six - column inch deep holes , placed the bulbs , covered with soil , set the squares of chicken telegram , topped with more territory and then give each “ pitcher’s mound ” a generous spray of Serrano pepper - infused whiskey ( see “ Growing Up ” , August 2024 ) .
Now we wait and hope that in the spring of 2025 the tulips will emerge and bloom in polychromatic wonder .
Additional squirrel balk tips may be find oneself at : https://www.masterclass.com/articles/keep-squirrels-out-of-garden-tips
Planting tulips and other bulbs can be an enjoyable activity—as long as you prep for other interested critters!
Nancy Packard Leasmanis a columnist , creative person and gardener who keep 40 acres in central Minnesota . Seetwiggerprofiles.blogspot.com , etsy.com / shop / leatherwoodandqdpainting.blogspot.com
Featured look-alike : Squirrel among new maturation . Image byJoeBreuerfromPixabay .
Learn more inNorthern Gardener®magazine…
Four seasonal issues full of grow tips and featured gardens — written and edit out by local northern horticulture pros just for you .
Strategically placed chicken wire offers a simple solution for many garden types.
