Chipmunks are small, active rodents frequently found in gardens, drawn by the promise of easy food and shelter. As opportunistic omnivores, they possess a diverse diet that adapts readily to the resources available in a cultivated environment. Their constant foraging leads them directly to both planted crops and the wilder elements of the garden ecosystem.
High-Value Garden Targets
Chipmunks actively target cultivated garden items that provide dense nutrition and are easy to transport. Flower bulbs, particularly tulips and crocuses, are a primary subterranean target for energy reserves, especially as the rodents prepare their winter caches. They often dig up and consume the entire bulb or carry it away for storage. Newly planted seeds and emerging seedlings are also highly vulnerable, as chipmunks quickly dig into disturbed soil to find them.
Vegetables and soft fruits are attractive food sources once they ripen, offering both moisture and sugar. Chipmunks prefer items like strawberries, raspberries, and cherry tomatoes, often taking a single bite out of many pieces of produce. Larger vegetables, such as corn kernels, peas, and beans, are consumed directly off the plant or are dug up for caching.
Natural Foraging Beyond Cultivated Plants
While garden produce provides easy calories, chipmunks supplement their diet with non-cultivated items found in the undergrowth. They readily consume nuts and seeds that have fallen from nearby trees, such as acorns, walnuts, and pine seeds. This foraging behavior is driven by the need to build up a large cache of food for the winter, as they do not store significant body fat.
A portion of their diet consists of invertebrates, which they actively hunt for in the soil and leaf litter. They consume earthworms, snails, millipedes, and various insects, including larvae and pupae. Chipmunks also forage for fungi and mushrooms, which they dry and store alongside their seed caches. They are opportunistic predators, occasionally raiding bird nests for protein-rich eggs and nestlings.
Protecting Vulnerable Food Sources
Protecting garden food sources from chipmunks requires employing physical barriers and taste deterrents. For newly planted bulbs, the most effective physical solution is to plant them inside a cage constructed of half-inch galvanized hardware cloth. This strong wire is buried with the bulb, allowing the shoot to emerge while preventing the chipmunk from digging it up.
Vulnerable surface crops like berries and seedlings can be protected by covering the entire area with bird netting or chicken wire. Ensure the edges are buried at least six inches deep to block underground access. To discourage digging around sensitive areas, gardeners can apply coarse materials like crushed stone or gravel over the soil surface. Chipmunks find this texture difficult to dig through, which deters their caching and foraging activities.
Taste deterrents offer another layer of protection by making the food source unpalatable. Commercial repellents or homemade sprays containing capsaicin, a compound found in chili peppers, can be applied to plant surfaces and bulbs. The repellent must be reapplied frequently, especially after rain or watering, to maintain its effectiveness. Gardeners also achieve success by sprinkling garlic powder or coffee grounds around plants, as the strong odors are disagreeable to the rodents.