# How to Prevent Animals From Destroying Plant Bulbs
Bulbs are most vulnerable to animal damage just after planting. Although animal repellents may help to reduce bulb damage, a sure way of protecting bulbs is to make it impossible for animals to reach them. Two types of animals damage bulbs: digging animals such as squirrels and tunneling animals such as voles. A top barrier is sufficient for digging animals, but the whole bulb needs protection from tunnelers. Animals avoid daffodils, hyacinths, grape hyacinths, snowdrops, fritillaries and alliums, also known as ornamental onions; no protection is necessary when planting these bulbs.
Things You'll Need
- Bulbs
- 1-inch hardware cloth
- Wire cutters
- Plastic pots similar to those in which trees and shrubs are sold
- Shovel
- Trowel
Instructions
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Protection from Diggers
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1
Plant the bulbs as usual, following the recommended planting time, depth and spacing.
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2
Use wire cutters to cut a piece of hardware cloth to fit over the area where the bulbs are planted.
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3
Remove the hardware cloth once the bulbs emerge or cover it with mulch and remove it in the fall after the foliage dies back.
Protection from Tunnelers
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4
Fill a plastic pot with garden soil.
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5
Dig a hole large enough to sink the pot into the soil just below the soil level.
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6
Place the pot in the hole. Fill in and firm the soil around it.
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7
Plant the bulbs in the pot at the recommended depth and spacing.
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1
Bulbs
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