Protecting my crocus bulbs

[Polyanwood]

I planted 800 crocus bulbs around my hives to give the bees a good source of early nectar last week only to find something... chief suspect is squirrels has dug them up.

I have 1000 more to plant.

Please advise on whether there is anything I can put on the bulbs to put off the squirrels...I was considering hot chilli sauce or thymol???

Would that work?? Ideas and advice please.

 

[Queens59]

We use chilli and holly clippings. Don't know which one works but the problem is a lot smaller than it was!!

 

[freckledbeck]

If possible you could cover the area you planted with chicken wire, its cheap and they wont be able to get through it. The bulbs will grow through the wire, hiding it.
Good luck!

 

[Heather]

Yep, I used chicken wire too- but I sliced layers of turf up, sprinkled bulbs over soil- chicken wire over that, then turf back down. Wire cannot get into lawn mower or people trip on it.
And shoot the squirrels!

 

[victor meldrew]

I planted 800 crocus bulbs around my hives to give the bees a good source of early nectar last week only to find something... chief suspect is squirrels has dug them up.

I have 1000 more to plant.

Please advise on whether there is anything I can put on the bulbs to put off the squirrels...I was considering hot chilli sauce or thymol???

Would that work?? Ideas and advice please.

A powerful .22 air rifle stops the problem dead!!

John Wilkinson

 

[madasafish]

We have mice as well as squirrels. I trap and drown squirrels an holly cuttings for mice....Seems to work.

 

[milkermel]

A powerful .22 air rifle stops the problem dead!!

John Wilkinson

Yep thats my solution too!! either that or live catch traps and then into a bag and and yes it is legal

 

[Black Comb]

Yep thats my solution too!! either that or live catch traps and then into a bag and and yes it is legal

Yes it's legal but don't drown them - guy got prosecuted for this recently.

Bloody greys are around here now - hardly ever see any reds unless go deeper into Lakes.

 

[Polyanwood]

Thanks everyone. Will try the chilli and chicken wire (have to check the latter is allowed). I am still in dog house with the vegetarians in the family for my previous squirrel trapping exploits...so am not admitting to that ever again.

 

[kazmcc]

Maybe I am too soft but I could never drown them or put them in a bag and

we had this problem at the school though too, I will try the chilli method

 

[Polyanwood]

True.. holly method can't be not allowed on allotment

 

[susbees]

Squirrels? Grow hazels. Get a serious cat. We have both. Saying that the crocus bulbs are still snug in their bag....it ain't October yet so I'm chilled about it.

 

[Hombre]

Thanks everyone. Will try the chilli and chicken wire (have to check the latter is allowed). I am still in dog house with the vegetarians in the family for my previous squirrel trapping exploits...so am not admitting to that ever again.

You have me confused there Karin, Just lift the bit of turf, plant your bulbs, lay down a section of chicken wire that the squirrels can't get through to get at your bulbs - not harmful to squirrels, just frustrating them a little.

 

[BlidworthBees]

Drowning is a horrible slow and terrifying death for any creature.
Law requires measures to be taken to keep down rats / mice but I let my terrier sort out the ones caught in live catch traps. Very quick.

 

[Roy S]

You could always try using this method

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIbY_IWT3fk"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIbY_IWT3fk[/ame]

Sorry in advance.....if it offends anyone.....but do you know what....I dont care cos I thought it was hilarious

 

[milkermel]

Drowning is a horrible slow and terrifying death for any creature.
Law requires measures to be taken to keep down rats / mice but I let my terrier sort out the ones caught in live catch traps. Very quick.

blidworth I think you might want to remove this post you you are ment to dispatch in a humane manor, I am 99% certain that neither ethically or legally allowing your dogs to despatch is classed as this - more likely to be classed as baiting/sport. No problem and acceptable to have them catch and kill rats/mice when flushed from burrys by ferrets but from a trap when the creature is stressed already then no

Drowning is also totally illegal and as someone else stated people have already been prosicuted. Also you are not allowed to live catch and release somewhere else (ie giving someone else the problem)

 

[milkermel]

You could always try using this method

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIbY_IWT3fk

Sorry in advance.....if it offends anyone.....but do you know what....I dont care cos I thought it was hilarious

Seen several of these, but this one was very funny!

 

[BlidworthBees]

blidworth I think you might want to remove this post you you are ment to dispatch in a humane manor, I am 99% certain that neither ethically or legally allowing your dogs to despatch is classed as this - more likely to be classed as baiting/sport. No problem and acceptable to have them catch and kill rats/mice when flushed from burrys by ferrets but from a trap when the creature is stressed already then no

)

No need milkermel.

Yes killing is supposed to be humane. I can only assume you have never watched a terrier kill a rat to make the claim it is not. The rat is dead in seconds. Far preferable to the slow lingering death caused by poisons most of which cause the animal to bleed to death slowly.

Using working terriers both to hunt to despatch vermin is legal. The exemptions in the Hunting Act 2004 specifically covers this.

Many pest control operatives use working terriers to keep down rat populations including ones employed by local authorities.
I am sure many will remember there was a BBC1 TV series that followed the activities of 2 pest controllers and their Jack Russell. That dog was filmed despatching rats on many occassions.

 

[johnandyrob]

The Telegraph has a bit in the gardening section today about bulbs ( mainly tulip so dont know if its relevant) and squirrels they suggest planting them deeper as squirrels find the bulbs by smell the deeper they are the harder for them to smell they also suggest using chicken wire

 

[Heather]

Just dont trap squirrels and release elsewhere- that IS illegal. Humane to shoot!