Released October 23, 2008
TOPEKA, Kan. – A nice thing about daffodil and hyacinth plantings – one that typically goes unnoticed -- is that squirrels, mice and other rodents don’t view those bulbs as free food.
“On the other hand, rodents may very well dig and then either chew on or store many of the other spring-flowering bulbs. They particularly like newly planted bulbs,” said Jamie Hancock, horticulturist with Kansas State University Research and Extension.
The vulnerable bulbs include such fall-planted, spring-blooming favorites as the tulip, crocus, Chionodoxa (Glory of the Snow) and lily, Hancock said.
The only sure way to protect these bulbs from animals, she added, is to enclose them in wire mesh when planting.
One approach, for example, is to make a small box or “cage” of 1/2-inch-mesh hardware cloth. Place several bulbs inside, pointed side up, and bury the cage at the proper bulb planting depth.
Or, simply place bulbs at the proper depth, cover them with a bit of soil, lay a piece of hardware cloth flat on top, and finish filling the hole.
“Rodents won’t be able to dig or chew through the wire mesh, but the bulb’s roots and stems can grow out,” Hancock said.
Dipping bulbs in a taste repellent (e.g., Ropel) before planting is an option that can provide several months of protection, she said. If leash laws allow, a cat in the garden can sometimes serve as a bulb guardian, too.
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http://isis.oznet.ksu.edu/KSRENews/story/briefs102308.aspx
Contact: Elaine Edwards, elainee@ksu.edu
