How to protect bulbs from squirrels?

[NotFrozenYet]

So I have bought some lovely tulip bulbs. They are quite promising and I'm excited to see them flower in our new garden. The question is how to make sure they are not wasted on those mad squirrels that come every day. 😤
I didn't want to make a flower bed but rather plant them randomly in clusters. Any advice? Or am I'm gonna lose this game?

The only thing that works here is chicken wire til they are established.
It's a pain.

They also hate citronella oil. That sometimes works

I’ve given up.
I buy some extra to make up for the losses.

I sprinkle chilli flakes in the area planted, seems to work.

maggiethecat do you need to re-sprinkler chilli flakes especially when it rains? Or have you found their effectiveness lasts even after rain?

I had to put the jaggy plastic plates over them. It’s the only think that worked here.
like these. 12Pcs Cat Scat Mat with Spikes,... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B095LTT6DM

I check from time to time to see if the flakes have become dispersed by rain/wind but generally they’re fine.
I don’t think any of my pots have been troubled this year and shoots have emerged from all pots.

@Maggiethecat thank you! do you think chili powder would also work?

@museumum thank you. Ordered!

I posted a thread on here about this.

They ate all my carefully chosen and planted tulip bulbs and then started on my hyacinths.

They were in tubs so I brought them indoors.

If you don’t have chilli flakes you could try powdered form but I think it may wash away sooner than flakes.

I distracted the squirrels by adding 'squirrel food' to one of my bird feeders specifically for them. They get treats and my bulbs have been left alone for the last 2 years (this is year 3 and so far so good!)

Reminded of Chris Packham’s comment about slugs “if we with all our ingenuity can’t outwit a mollusc without killing them then we have some more evolving to do”

I’m pretty sure one of the well known celebrity gardeners (Sarah Raven or Monty Donn) said rose pruning work well.

@tothelefttotheleft that’s what I fear 😬