Tulip Bulbs & Squirrels

Tree Squirrels and Ground Squirrels

• Tree squirrels hang out in trees, run along utility lines and forage for food on the ground just like ground squirrels. If you have a dog, she probably spends a good part of the day trying to figure out how to get that squirrel out of the tree. Squirrels are active all day long. They are often seen daring the family dog to try to get him, but they always make their escape up a tree. Tree squirrels have long bushy tails and a brownish-gray body. Ground squirrels forage on the ground for their food. They usually stay close to their burrows so they can escape from predators. The ground squirrel's tail is semi-bushy, and its fur a brownish gray color specked with white.

Tulips

• The tulip bulb, a swollen underground structure that stores nutrients, flowers in mid- to late spring. The cup-shaped flowers come in a variety of colors and look best in mass plantings of the same color. Rodents such as squirrels love tulips. Before planting tulips, make sure you can protect them from squirrels.

Relocate the Squirrels

• Relocate the squirrels by trapping them first. Animal control may lend you traps. Once the squirrels are trapped, take them someplace where they won't find their way back to your garden. If there's a nature center in your community, give them a call and ask them where to release the squirrels. Nature centers are usually located in the forests, mountains or other rural areas, so you may be able to release them there.

Organic Squirrel Repellents

• Try placing cayenne pepper, hot chili peppers, or lemon juice around the bulb beds. If the squirrels ingest any of these items, they'll leave for good. According to Elena Semick, Using urine from natural predators of squirrels will warn them to stay away. "Using urine from a fox, bobcat or coyote will keep squirrels from eating your vegetation," Semick says. A dog that has full run of the yard makes an excellent squirrel deterrent.

Hardware Cloth

• Bury hardware cloth in your flowerbed. Strong hardware cloth comes in various lengths and widths. The square openings are tiny and pests cannot bite through the hardware. Select the location for your tulip bulbs and dig 2 feet into the soil. Lay the hardware cloth. You may want to bend up the sides of the hardware cloth to form a box shape. Clever squirrels might figure out a way to come in from the side. Fill the hole with potting soil. The planting depth for tulips is 3 to 6 inches, so fill the hole with the appropriate amount of potting soil. Then toss the tulips gently on top of the soil. Tulips should be spaced 3 to 6 inches apart depending on the type and size of the bulb. Follow the directions that come with your bulbs. If the bulbs fall too close together when tossed, rearrange them keeping the natural formation. Cover the bulbs with potting soil and water.