Yes, squirrels frequently dig up daffodil bulbs, often to the frustration of gardeners. This interaction is a common point of conflict in the autumn garden, as the animals follow their natural instincts to investigate freshly disturbed soil. While these active foragers may unearth the planted bulbs, they rarely consume them. The digging is typically a result of their intense curiosity and foraging behavior.
The Truth About Daffodil Bulbs and Squirrels
Squirrels are notorious for digging up newly planted bulbs, but they generally leave daffodils untouched as a food source. Daffodil bulbs, which belong to the Narcissus genus, contain toxic alkaloids, primarily lycorine. This chemical defense makes the bulbs poisonous and bitter to rodents and other wildlife, rendering them unpalatable and sometimes even harmful.
This often leads to the squirrel discarding the bulb after a test bite or simply leaving it on the surface of the soil. This behavior contrasts sharply with the squirrel’s preference for other bulbs, such as tulips and crocus, which they will actively eat. The digging is therefore an investigatory action rather than a purposeful attempt to secure a meal.
Understanding Squirrel Motivation
The primary driver for a squirrel’s digging behavior is its instinct to cache or “scatter hoard” food for later consumption. When a gardener disturbs the earth to plant bulbs, the freshly tilled soil provides an easy digging spot that attracts the squirrel’s attention. They often mistake the site for an existing cache location or an ideal new place to bury a nut or seed.
The scent of the newly planted bulbs or the disturbed soil also acts as an attractant, triggering their foraging and investigation instincts. Squirrels rely on a strong sense of smell and their spatial memory to locate food. Because of this, any recent gardening activity is interpreted as a sign that a valuable item may be buried there, prompting the animal to dig and investigate.
Proven Deterrents and Protective Measures
Protecting newly planted daffodil bulbs requires a combination of physical barriers and scent-based deterrents to overcome the squirrel’s natural curiosity.
Physical Barriers
One of the most effective methods is the use of physical barriers. Gardeners can lay a piece of chicken wire or hardware cloth directly over the planting area and secure it with landscape staples or stones. The bulbs can easily grow through the mesh holes, but the barrier prevents the squirrel from digging down to the bulb.
Other options include:
- Creating small wire cages or using commercial bulb baskets to fully enclose the bulbs before planting them in the ground.
- Covering the planting site with a heavy layer of sharp mulch, such as gravel or crushed oyster shells, which deters digging by creating an unpleasant surface for the animals’ paws.
Scent Deterrents
Gardeners can employ scent deterrents to mask the smell of the bulbs and make the area less appealing.
- Sprinkle materials like blood meal (a nitrogen-rich fertilizer) or crushed red pepper flakes over the soil surface to repel squirrels.
- Use commercial granular or spray repellents containing ingredients like capsaicin, though these must be reapplied after rain or watering to maintain potency.
Strategic Planting
For strategic planting, burying the bulbs deeper than the minimum requirement, ideally 6 to 8 inches, makes it more difficult for a squirrel to reach them. Furthermore, planting daffodils interspersed with more palatable bulbs like tulips can offer a degree of protection, as the toxic daffodil bulbs may help deter the animal from the entire area.