Protecting your Bulbs from Critters

[janet]

Pretty soon it will be bulb planting time. I have had all my bulbs dug up and resting during the summer.

Now you need to protect your bulbs from Skunks, Squirrels, Chipmunks, Deer, Dogs & Cats. Alot of gardeners use a wire mesh placed over the bulbs and then additional dirt on top. A big problem comes in with digging the bulbs up again..you have to take off all the top dirt, then try to grip the sharp wire, to uncover your bulbs. UGH!

Now this is what we did..we planted our bulbs, and over the top of them we placed
the wire shelving that is no longer being used in our closets. This works out perfect for our garden, critters cannot get through it to our bulbs, and they rest directly on the ground, so you pick them up..and then dig your bulbs in summer.

Check out your local Good Will, St Vincent's and Salvation Army stores, for wire shelving.

My shelving is white and it is so great to see the tulips come up through the wires.

Deer love fresh tulips and flowering plants, they will come through our yard and eat the tops off our tulips.
I asked an old farmer what to do..he told me to put a tin can(old veggie can) with urine in it..and place it near your tulips...I hid our tin can in between a bunch of tulips.
And it worked!

janet

[ellenmelon]

jANET, THAT tip on the pee cup is amazing, and it works

One plant class I attended had us make 12 inch x 12 inch x 4 inch wire baskets from hardware cloth and put our bulbs in that in the ground. WE have to plant 8 inches down to keep them from shooting up too soon with an early thaw, our problems are voles and moles that come across the bulbs in the winter underground.

[janet]

Ellen, hardware baskets is a great way too! Our critters are not underground, so that is why we just protect the top.

How many bulbs fit in the hardware basket?

I hate to think how many hundreds of bulbs I have.

Janet--I live where gardening is a challenge!

[Can You Guess?]

hmmm I'm supposed to dig up the bulbs and replant them in the fall???? OOPPPSSS

Guess I'm lucky the come back each year, well sometimes they do.