Squirrels! :-/

[Anne75D]

I'm fuming after yet another destruction in my garden by those greedy buggers. I had planted a section with lovely crocuses that were beginning to shoot but they are now left an absolute mess (can dug up shoots be saved?).

After I planted the bulbs last year, squirrels managed to dig up and destroy about half of them. This morning I saw that they now managed to destroy the other half after I (stupidly) removed the protective chicken wire yesterday thinking that the crocuses would now be safe (on advise from a gardening friend who said that squirrels won't be interested once crocus starts to shoot...).

I know this isn't a big issue in the grand scheme of things but I'm really annoyed at the loss of those lovely shoots and I'd like to hear what others do/have done to protect their garden from squirrels.

Oh no!

I tend to grow things that squirrels like, in pots. Then I keep the pot covered in wire for aaages.
With bean seeds and the like, I chuck down chilli powder AND cover in mesh, but there would be no point doing that over winter with the rain.

I'd replant the crocus if they still have the roots and the bulb. Any chance is better than no chance!

Something I've seen suggested is to bury the chicken wire just under the level of the soil. Then it can stay permanently and isn't unsightly.

Thank you both. They actually chewed off the top of some of the shoots so I need to have the wire higher up it seems. I really wonder whether it will ever be safe to lift the chicken wire now given that they've taken to check on the shoots . I did try the chili powder but as you said it has to be done again every time it rains and didn't seem to work on the crocus either.

I tried to replant what they've dug up today but don't hold up too much hope... what a shame!

*nibble on the shoots, not check!

It depends how hungary they are, maybe you could distract them by feeding them?

Have you seen them nibble on the shoots? I'd have expected shoot damage to be slugs, while squirrels dig up the more nutritious bulbs/corms.