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Squirrels: How to keep them out of my bulb pots.

(10 Posts)
annodomini Sun 13-Oct-24 23:38:05

Some years ago, I came home from a short break to fine broken-up tulip bulbs strewn across my patio. At first, I was inclined to blame my cats, but then I spotted the culprit - a squirrel industriously digging in my biggest trough. I hope to be successful in growing mainly tulips in pots on my patio this autumn, but there are hordes of squirrels around. What can I do to protect my bulbs from these voracious rodents?

Daffonanna Mon 14-Oct-24 04:44:04

I kept the baskets from an old freezer and put them over the pots which were hidden out of sight until Spring . Last year a particularly determined squirrel failed to remove the bulbs but managed to destroy them. . I’m now planning to plant fewer bulbs and place another basket on top of the first . If that fails it’s an all night vigil with a football rattle and the dog who will have been appropriately trained !

grandMattie Mon 14-Oct-24 05:28:30

The squirrels not only dig up/eat my bulbs but they dig up and destroy any plant I put in to fill my empty pots.
I put chilli powder and a “net”of black thread. Not sure is it helps, but makes me feel better!

Gymstagran Mon 14-Oct-24 05:49:56

I put chicken wire over the pots to protect the bulbs from squirrels

escaped Mon 14-Oct-24 06:38:12

I use old flat bottomed wire hanging basket bases. Turned upside down, they fit snuggly over the pots.
I also have a cat and dogs who patrol the garden.

Witzend Thu 17-Oct-24 22:18:58

We have masses of squirrels bent of digging everything up, so what I’ve done in the past to protect things in pots, was to make a ‘palisade’ all round the sides, with bamboo skewers. They’ve worked very well, but of course you do need to be careful, since even the non-pointy ends are fairly sharp.

Gwyllt Thu 17-Oct-24 22:54:09

We have two working cockers who consider squirrels fair game. The little blotters seem to know when the dogs are in

Esmay Fri 18-Oct-24 20:01:16

I use long wooden kebab sticks-from Sainburys but other supermarkets sell them .
If I don't all my bulbs are taken out and shredded .

Casdon Fri 18-Oct-24 20:15:48

I use chicken wire, I put all my bulb pots together, make the wire into a cage using metal canes and leave it like that until the bulbs start coming up. It’s not very pretty, but it works, the squirrels are an absolute menace in my garden.

cornergran Fri 18-Oct-24 22:38:11

We use chicken wire across the tops of the pots. Seems to deter whatever it is digging the bulbs up.