Protect Your Bulbs: 10 simple ways to stop critters from digging, eating, or stealing your newly planted bulbs

10 simple ways to stop critters from digging, eating, or stealing your newly planted bulbs.

1. Dip your bulbs in animal repellent before planting. We carry an organic, locally-made, natural animal repellent liquid.

2. Plant pellets of mole and vole repellent in the hole with your bulbs.

3. Water well to firm in the soil around newly planted bulbs. Nothing calls to chipmunks like soft, freshly-dug ground. 

4. Trim the stakes of a gridded peony support and push the shorted plant support into the dirt over your bulbs, so the metal grid is flush with the soil. This will stop those chipmunks from digging up your freshly planted bulbs.

5. Line your planting hole with old window screen or chicken wire and plant your bulbs within the protected hole.

6. Plant sticks with your bulbs, criss-crossed pointing in all directions to discourage tunneling moles and voles.

7. Get rid of moles and voles permanently by killing the grubs they feed on. Use Milky Spore on your lawn. The spores kill the grubs, and as the grubs decompose, the spores multiply. One application of Milky Spore will stay active in your soil for years to come.

8.  Plant your bulbs in a pot in your garden. By sinking a plastic pot into your garden soil, you can deter moles and voles from getting at them from below.

9. Plant sharp shards of broken terracotta pots in the hole with your bulbs.

10. Plant daffodils instead. Daffodils are toxic if eaten and that’s why the deer also leave them alone.

Try one or all of theses organic, kid-safe/pet-safe techniques to guard your bulbs from the wild animals and hungry critters!