Squirrells and chipmunks are digging holes all in everybody's flowerbeds around here. I sprayed Liquid Fence last Wednesday but of course, it rained after that for 3 days so will need to spray again. Gosh, I wonder how many bulbs will end up blooming this Spring because of those rascals. Searched the internet and found several concoctions that I can mix up with ingredients I have on hand. Have seen a product called Critter Ridder in mail order catalogs' now to find it locally so I don't have to pay shipping cost is another challenge. Guess I'll let my fingers do the walking and call around rather than waste the gas going from store to store. If any of you out there have a better suggestion about the squirrel and chipmunks, let's hear it.
Squirells and chipmunks
We don't have chipmunks, but the squirrels are a force to deal with...as are our deer, raccoon, etc....the deer and raccoon have made themselves scarce since we get visits from a little gray fox almost everymorning...DH is feeding him health bars and apparently he really likes them. The ranger says they don't hurt the fox, but of course, we are not supposed to feed any of the wild animals...The squirrels, however, are another issue...personal research is indicating that they do not like euphorbia because of the scent...I know phorbs are a personal taste as a garden plant, but I love the non-spiney euphorbia!!!...and I'm in the process of putting them all around the yard...I ring my veggies with chives, shallots, and plug garlic bulbs in 'the squirrel's favorite spots'...and they do have them...other than that, we just keep digging up what they plant!
I bought a product called Critter Ridder yesterday from Home Depot and plan to sprinkle in on the flowerbeds tomorrow afternoon but it clearly states not to get it on any foliage or plants and to use gloves while sprinkling it by hand. I imagine wide open spaces you could shake it out of the container. I can't figure out if they are digging bulbs up or burying stuff. I did see where one bulb was dug up and thrown on the sidewalk. Don't know what kind of bulb it was. I told my husband today that come Fall, I am going to order a bulb cage and let him see if he can copy it and we'll dig up all the tulip bulbs and put them in large groups and replant them. Other neighbors have had the squirrells digging at their house too. Will let you all know if CR works!
I haven't tried Critter Ridder; but if you have to dig up the bulbs next fall, dip them in Ropel; it's a non-toxic repellent that tastes unbelievably bitter. I dip all bulbs in it before planting, and the multitude of squirrels and chipmunks here leave my bulbs alone, thankfully. Fairly inexpensive if you look around for best price online, and no cautions on handling other than to wear gloves if you're likely to get hands anywhere near your mouth; it tastes atrocious to us also, lol.
Ruth
Moth balls seemed to repel them a bit. Something was digging in one part of the garden at night. I replanted the upended bulbs and sprinkled coffee grounds in the area. It seemed to help. I sprinkled some dog hair around the area after Tiff got her spring haircut. she has eliminated 10 voles outside this winter. I placed dog hair by a hole in the back fence and it scared away a woodchuck last summer, figured it is worth a try.
The neighbor got an air pistol from Walmart, it has really done wonders with the squirrel population. I was eying the red rider bb gun last time I was shopping...
I have battled pests in my yard for years.I guess its part of gardening.Lots of squirrels and chipmunks around here,but they don't seem to bother my garden.My guess is, my neighbor puts out truckloads of food every day in her yard.They must like her chow better.Groundhogs and rabbits are my main problem.Years ago,I got kicked off a golf course for not wearing a shirt and bringing my own adult beverage on the course.I don't golf anymore.But every groundhog I catch in a havahart trap gets relocated there(4 last year).How do you like me now?I don't hunt or even own a gun.Nothing gives me greater pleasure than bashing baby rabbits head in with a shovel.I get rid of my blood lust and protect my garden at the same time.I had to quit using fish emulsion on my plants.The skunks and raccoons tore my plants up looking for fish.The critter ridder products are made of fox and coyote urine.I have used them they just don't last long.I put moth balls out,The crows picked them up and scattered them all over my lawn.If you have dogs and cats,they are the best thing for pests.I don't have any.The best year I had was when a skunk moved in under my garden shed.She had a litter.No groundhogs that year.My neighbors were not happy.I was though.LOL.DG is the best place to vent.I feel pretty good now.Thank-you.Edge
Edge, you just made my morning! Wonder if the golf course has figured out what's happening? Seriously LOL!! They should'a just given you a warning;)
Bev
Chipmunks were the bane of my gardening existence last year. I'm hoping that the fact we now have a very active shiba inu puppy will deter them this year. We have two adult (rescued) greyhounds, and they caught a chipmunk last year, but that didn't stop more from invading my gardening space. The puppy, however, is a lot busier than the greyhounds (who are mostly lazy), and I think he might be a force to be reckoned with. We'll see! Maybe Toshi (the puppy) will become the official Defender of the Backyard.
Of course, he wreaks some havoc on the garden all on his own, too. *sigh*
Here's a picture of our greyhound, Ella, with a chipmunk the hounds caught last year. She was clearly embarrassed to have this fuzzy rodent in her mouth, but she still couldn't resist the temptation. The dogs didn't kill the chipmunk, but they did hurt it enough that it stumbled out of the yard and was taken away by the local hawk. I'm not sure I could have done the job of ending the poor creature's suffering myself, so I was glad the hawk took care of business for me. I certainly don't like seeing animals getting hurt, but this was nature doing what nature does.
We have deer and rabbits, which do a good deal of damage. But the squirrels are what REALLY make me fume! My neighborhood is full of tons of plants -- trees/shrubs/flowers -- you name it. Plenty of yummy stuff to eat. Of course, the squirrels still make a beeline for my gardens. They immediately started ravaging my crocus bulbs and also the leaves as soon as they started sprouting. Critter ridder definitely helped, but it's pricey and doesn't last long.
Now the squirrels are digging around at everything they find tasty, and even things they're not supposed to want to eat. I even had one eat a helleborus flower!
They're absolutely rampant. I see several every time I look outside. We had a fox in our yard last year. Wish he'd come back.
I agree, mbenson; the squirrels are a royal pain, as are the chipmunks and voles. We have tried endless types of "squirrel-proof" feeders for the birds-HA- and the damage to plants gets infuriating. It won't help with the bulbs already planted, but try the Ropel for dipping bulbs next time you plant; despite all the other pesky damage they do here, they never disturb the bulbs I dipped at planting time. Even years later, the bulbs must still taste foul because they still aren't being disturbed after years in the ground. For aboveground application, Ropel lasts nearly a year through weather of all sorts; to me, this makes it a darn good value.
Ruth
Thanks for the tip, Ruth. I haven't seen that product. Where do you get it?
Mbenson, I buy it by the gallon, so one purchase lasts for years. Usually I just Google for Ropel and look for best price; each time it's a different vendor. I think you'll be impressed if you try it; I wouldn't be without it!
Ruth
Mbenson, checked my receipts and the last time I purchased Ropel, best price was from www.nixalite.com. They supply stuff to animal control agencies in many cases, so need to have reasonable prices. Haven't done a recent price comparison online, but they're a good place to start.
Ruth
Caught 2 groundhogs this weekend.Guess where I let them go.Fore!,Edge
You go, edge! Clearly "don't get mad, get even" works really well for you.
Indeed,LOL,Edge
I don't have chipmunks, but I find that sprinkling used cat litter around bulbs and anything else that appeals to squirrels usually does the trick. And it's free, assuming you know someone with cats.
I really don't have as much problem with squirrels digging up bulbs - it's the digging away in my containers! After my seedlings get big enough to take the wire covers off, the squirrels start digging away in them. My newly planted petunias and impatiens look like someone has tilled around them! Sprinkling red cayenne pepper around the edges of the containers seems to keep them away for a few days, until it rains or I have to water the plants. So, I always keep cayenne pepper around in the summer months.
Then again, that may explain why the water levels in the birth baths seem to go down so fast... ;-)
The squirrels have been planting black walnuts in my garden and outdoor pots. Now that I recognize them, they are easy to pull out.
Tiffany has been chasing chipmunks and grey mice/voles. I was putting down newspaper in the back garden in my war on weeds while Tiffany, my Westie, took off like a rocket and started digging like a maniac. She was chasing some rodent to ground and digging it out. (One reason why Tiffany is always on a long lead). I hauled her dirty self right to the bathtub. At least I know when there are rodents around.
I need to get my strawberries covered before the squirrels find them. They are green now, but I don't want to share them with the wildlife.
I too had a terrible time with chipmunks voles and mice last year. They ate most of my strawberries, killed a hosta and tore up bulbs too. I didn't have any dogs living around me so I put the rat poison that comes in squares down their holes. Whenever I found a new hole down went the squares. I have to say that I have only seen one squirrel this spring. I just rescued a dog so I can't use the squares anymore as dogs love them too.
We have a lot of ground squirrels here that wreak havoc everywhere they set up their colonies. My neighbor has an interesting strategy - she has her husband go out after dark and pee in the squirrel holes. Needless to say, i don't go up to their place after sunset, lol.
Tell him to urinate in a container.Then pour the urine in the holes.You could visit after dark that way.Edge
good idea, edge. :)