What with squirrels, moles, deer and rabbits, having a successful spring bulb display can be challenging and frustrating, but there are several steps you can take to outwit these critters. The first step to preventing animals from damaging your bulbs is to understand what they are doing and why. The last step is accepting their nature and understanding that no matter what barrier or repellent you use, the animals are not going to choose starvation.

Squirrels
Squirrels are determined, agile and curious creatures that can be entertaining as well as destructive. Bulbs, especially tulips, are a favorite food, probably second only to nuts. Many gardeners have labored for hours putting in tulips, only to find the area totally dug up and the bulbs gone the next day. Squirrels can smell the fresh bulbs in the ground and are also curious to see what you are burying there. The first deterrent is to plant the tulips 9” deep; most squirrels will not bother them. Once they have been in the ground all winter, squirrels seem to leave them alone. You may have to try a combination of tricks to outwit the squirrels.

If you are planting a large bed that doesn't have any obstacles to work around, you can cover the area with chicken wire as a barrier to prevent digging. For smaller areas, try placing a big saucer or a board over the newly planted spot. Surface barriers need to stay in place until the ground freezes and be removed before the bulbs sprout in spring. Some gardeners have had success with repellents such as blood meal. Another trick is to dip the bulbs in TreeGuard before planting them. Covering the bulbs with a few handfuls of sharp gravel is a good deterrent because it hurts the squirrels' feet. And if you can't get the squirrels to leave your tulips alone, try planting daffodils - they don't like them. As a last resort, squirrels can be trapped and relocated, but this is a difficult job. Contact the DNR in your area if you are interested in trapping yours.

Deer
Deer can be voracious eaters of tulips, crocus, iris and wood hyacinths blossoming in the spring. Just as the buds open, they are gone. Fortunately, deer don't like alliums or daffodils. Deer tend to be repelled by things that smell and taste bad. Some of the most effective smelly repellents are blood meal, strongly scented bar soaps, and human hair. Some of the worst tasting repellents are TreeGuard and hot pepper. To make a spray out of hot pepper, combine 3-4 tablespoons of liquid hot sauce, 1-tablespoon liquid soap and a quart of water. Except for TreeGuard, repellents must be reapplied after a few rains. Some deer are also scared away by using strips of Mylar tape that flutter in the wind, lights with motion detectors or radios that are triggered by motion. Fences are effective if they are tall enough, but they aren't very practical in most yards. Deer prefer to feed in wilder places, but the pressure to find food can make them extremely bold, walking right into urban landscapes, ignoring repellents and deterrents.

Mice, Moles, Voles and Gophers
Of all the various critters to burrow around in our gardens, the gophers, mice and voles do the most damage to bulbs. While moles seem more destructive, digging extensive tunnels that are evident on the surface of the soil, they are insectivores, dining almost exclusively on worms, grubs and insects. The other critters will, however, use the mole runs to reach your bulbs. As with squirrels, you may have to try several methods to protect your bulbs from mice, voles and gophers. Just like squirrels, they seldom eat daffodils or squill, but they love tulips. The most effective repellents seem to be things that smell bad. If you can find their runs, try putting in some blood meal, human hair or used kitty litter (cats being their mortal enemies). Most ground dwellers are sensitive to vibrations. Try a few whirligigs. Castor Oil is an effective repellent for many ground dwellers, especially moles. There is a commercial castor oil product for spraying large areas. For smaller areas, use a mixture of 1-tablespoon castor oil, 1-tablespoon liquid soap and 1 gallon of water. Mix the ingredients in a watering can and pour it over the area. You may need to reapply after several rains. Products like TreeGuard can be used on the bulbs as you plant them to make them taste nasty to the critters. There are also several poisons that can be put down into the runs. The surest way to deal with these pests is trapping (traps are available at your local hardware).

Rabbits
Rabbits love to nibble on various bulbs as their flowers emerge, and they can make us especially mad, since they often just nip off the buds and leave them there. Blood meal, human hair and used kitty litter are often used to repel rabbits by smell. TreeGuard and hot pepper spray can be used to repel by taste.  Fencing can be effective, but it should have openings no larger than one inch, be at least knee high and fixed tightly to the ground along its entire length. As with all the other bulb pests, you may have to try several methods to keep the rabbits from bothering your bulb flowers.

Additional Bachman's Information
Repellents, Traps, Barriers and Such
Common Critter Problems
Success With Tulips

Recommended Products
Tree Guard
Bonide Rabbit and Deer Repellent
Bonide Repels-All
Deer Scram
Deer Stopper
Deer Pharm
Molemax
Bonide Shot Gun Mole Repellent
Moletox and Gopher Killer