Protecting your bulbs from rodents

In the ornamental garden, autumn is synonymous with planting bulbs. It's at this time of year that we can be sure of a blooming spring, from the first fine days. So, we get busy in the flowerbeds and flowerbeds, hoeing, amending, fertilizing, and, above all, planting. A few bulbs for some, sometimes several dozen for others! In any case, the wait for spring is feverish, to see the first buds and flowers bloom. So, there's no question of a small rodent or a mole coming to wreck everything. Say goodbye to chemicals and other techniques designed to clearly kill these critters: there are alternative, environmentally friendly solutions. Here's a quick overview. Every gardener knows that tulip and crocus bulbs in particular, but also alliums, dahlias, gladioli, and camassia, are quality delicacies for our rodent friends. These rodents (field mice, voles, mice, etc.) are herbivores and love to feast on plant bulbs, roots, or leaves. This should not be confused with moles, which are insectivores. The damage they cause is due to their tunnels, which destroy the root system of bulbs. However, there are simple and aesthetic solutions to keep pests away. The first method for getting rid of rodents is to get a cat! For those who don't have one, here are some other techniques. Let's start by making a non-exhaustive list of "toxic" bulbs that rodents don't eat: daffodils, snowdrops, sternbergia, and amaryllis. By planting these bulbs with their magnificent flowers, you can be sure that rodents won't come and nibble on them. There are also bulbs that repel rodents and moles. It is the bulbs that give off an unpleasant odor for these animals and keep them away. The best known of all is certainly the imperial crown, also called imperial fritillary and named by botanists Fritillaria imperialis. This plant acts over a radius of about 1.5 meters. Planting it in your flowerbeds can therefore be a good solution to keep unwanted visitors away while adding a colorful, airy, and original touch. Two other plants are also known for this action: incarvillea and spore. Let's add to this list the more "mechanical" actions that consist of protecting the bulb itself with wire mesh. Note that some use castor oil (a few drops) placed at the bottom of the planting hole, covered with a few centimeters of substrate. Others plant elderberry sticks randomly in their flowerbeds, which repel pests. Be careful to remove these sticks as soon as the flower bulbs have finished flowering, otherwise these elderberry stems could take root. Practical advice to put into action this fall for flawless results in spring!