If youre an avid gardener, youve probably dealt with your fair share of pests. From rodents to creepy crawlies, these pests can make gardening much harder and more frustrating. Case in point: squirrels and chipmunks. These things are common in areas with lots of old, mature trees. They can be a pain for gardeners who want to plant spring bulbs like tulips and crocus. If your spring bulbs are getting dug up and eaten, don’t worry—these simple tips will help you keep your garden safe all season.
Crocus flowers are a beautiful sign of spring, with their cheery blooms in shades of purple, yellow, and white. However, many gardeners dread planting crocuses because squirrels love to eat them! So do squirrels eat crocus flowers? Unfortunately, the answer is yes. Squirrels are known to dig up and devour crocus bulbs and flowers. Here’s what you need to know about protecting your crocuses from these furry pests.
Why Squirrels Love Crocuses
Squirrels have excellent memories and will return each year to feed on 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. Squirrels will eat the bulb itself or cache it to eat later. Come spring squirrels nibble on emerging leaves and flowers for fresh food.
Squirrels particularly relish the color yellow, so golden crocuses are especially vulnerable The tubular shape of crocus flowers gives squirrels something to grasp while they eat Unfortunately, crocuses offer little defense against these hungry critters.
Preventing Squirrel Damage
If squirrels are a problem in your area, take precautions after planting crocus bulbs in fall:
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Cover bulbs with 1⁄4” mesh wire screens or hardware cloth. Weigh down the edges to prevent squirrels from pushing it aside.
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Use a natural repellent spray 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 the planting area. 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 to startle foraging squirrels.
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Use plastic garden netting over rows of bulbs. 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 water drainage.
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Interplant bulbs with daffodils, which squirrels dislike due to their alkaloid toxins.
As a last resort, you can choose bulbs that squirrels tend to avoid, including daffodils, fritillarias, hyacinths, and alliums. Just be aware that determined squirrels may still dig these up.
Protecting Crocus Flowers in Spring
Once crocus growth emerges in spring, you’ll need to take new steps to protect flowers:
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Cover plants with chicken wire cloches anchored into the ground.
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Place plastic netting over plants, securing the edges with U-shaped garden 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 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. Avoid getting ammonia on foliage.
Deterring Squirrels from Your Garden
Here are some ways to make your entire garden less inviting to squirrels:
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Remove dropped bulbs, skins, and debris after planting. Don’t leave anything to attract squirrels.
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Eliminate squirrel hiding spots like piles of brush and debris.
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Use feeders designed to exclude squirrels to offer supplemental food away from bulbs.
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Trim overhanging branches 4-6 feet from the ground so squirrels cannot jump onto the beds.
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Apply squirrel repellent sprays around the garden perimeter to deter entry.
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Scatter sharp gravel, lava rock, or crushed oyster shells along garden beds.
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Install a wire mesh fence dug 6-12 inches into the ground with an outward-curled top.
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Get a dog or cat that will patrol the yard for squirrels and chase them away. Their presence and scent helps deter squirrels.
When All Else Fails
If you’ve tried repellents, barriers, and habitat modification to no avail, trapping and relocating squirrels may be the only option left. Always check your local regulations first. It’s usually illegal to release a trapped squirrel off your property. Here are some tips:
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Bait live traps with peanut butter, fruit, or nuts. Place them along your garden beds.
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Cover traps with natural camouflage like birch bark or leaves.
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Check traps frequently and release non-target species like birds immediately.
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Wear thick gloves when handling trapped squirrels. Transport them at least 10 miles away.
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Release squirrels only in areas designated safe for relocation by your wildlife agency.
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Clean traps thoroughly to minimize the spread of diseases between squirrels.
With persistence and adaptive management, you can outsmart the squirrels attacking your crocuses. Try different deterrents and find what works best for your garden. Just don’t let those rascally squirrels stop you from growing gorgeous crocuses!
Use Natural Repellents
There are a lot of natural bug sprays on the market that might do a great job of keeping bugs out of your garden. You don’t have to buy only repellents for squirrels and other rodents; organic deer repellents can also work. Another natural way to keep squirrels away is to sprinkle red pepper flakes over planted bulbs. This will keep squirrels from digging because they are hungry.
Cover Your Bulbs
Covering the planting area with chicken wire or hardware cloth is one of the best ways to keep squirrels and chipmunks away from your beautiful new bulbs. Hardware cloth is a metal mesh that looks a lot like chicken wire but has a smaller grid pattern. ).
There are two ways to use chicken wire or hardware cloth to protect your bulbs. A piece of the material that is big enough to cover the whole planting area can be cut out. After planting the bulbs, put it on top of the soil and hold it in place with stakes or rocks or bricks and weight it down. Cover the material with a mulch of shredded leaves or bark to hide the wire. The bulb stems will grow through the holes in the chicken wire or hardware cloth, but animals that like to dig won’t be able to get to the bulbs. This technique works best in open areas where you wont have to work around perennials or other plants.
You could also make simple cages out of chicken wire or hardware cloth and put the bulbs inside. Then, put the structure in the planting hole. These enclosures are especially effective against tunneling animals, such as voles, that also feed on bulbs.
How to Prevent Squirrels from Eating Bulbs!
Do squirrels eat crocuses?
When it comes to crocuses, squirrels are the most relentless of predators. Our bushy-tailed friends will not only happily munch on the plant’s foliage and flower buds, but they’ll dig up and devour their bulbs too! The bulbs offer squirrels a considerable amount of nutrients, which is exactly what they need after a bout of frosty weather.
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 flowers?
They are a large herbaceous plant that belongs to the Balsaminaceae family. The flowers have a sweet flavor, that may attract squirrels. However, many people have said that squirrels don’t usually bother the plant, but they will dig up and eat the bulbs. These are just a few of the plants, flowers, and shrubs squirrels are attracted to.
Do birds eat crocus flowers?
So when they come across a crocus plant, no matter what the variety, they’ll eat it not because it’s their favorite meal but because it’s all they can get their paws on. Much like squirrels, they’ll dig them up and eat their bulbs. Oftentimes the crocus ends up harmed beyond repair. Birds, particularly sparrows, are also big fans of crocus flowers.