Last Thursday, I spent the better part of the day on my hands and knees planting iris from our previous home, as well as three plants my sister gave us as a house-warming gift. I discovered that the dirt here is the pits. It’s heavy clay filled with pebbles from house construction. I pulled the heavy layer of mulch back, and dug holes large enough to accommodate three chunks of iris, added bonemeal and a little potting soil and nestled them into their new homes.
We left for a wedding in Cleveland the following day. I hoped the weather would be kind to the plants because I really want to have this bit of my previous gardens follow us to the new house.
Monday night, Dear Husband was grilling our dinner and commented that some of the plants had been disrupted. I said I’d take a look at it, and forgot about it. The next morning, my sister was here to help unload the POD, and she said, “Look at that squirrel! He just pulled that plant out and is rolling around with it!” Sure enough. It had pulled the plant right out of the ground, and when it realized it wasn’t tasty, ran off to do some more damage.
Every single plant that I had put into the ground had been ripped out! I’ve re-planted them, but I think I need to spray them with a red pepper spray to discourage visitors. A friend on Facebook suggested scattering mothballs.
There was an old tennis ball in the back yard. I thought it might have been a dog toy that came over the fence. Now, I think it might have been for squirrel re-training. If I’d had it nearby when I saw that miserable rodent, I would have winged it right at it!
That even upsets me. Did you find a way to keep the blasted Squirrel away from your plants. I’ve heard that squirrel’s can be very damaging.
Sorry to hear about the damage that pesky squirrel did to your Iris. They are so cute but can do a lot of destruction. I hope you found a way so that doesn’t happen again besides dragging out the old BB Gun. lol
We’re working on it, Mina. I don’t want to hurt them. I just want to redirect them until my gardens are settled.
I was just joking about the BB Gun!! I wouldn’t want you to hurt them either.
Whew! lol Do you know that there are people out there who are busy creating ways to drown chipmunks? I shudder when I happen to sit next to them at coffee and one of them wants to talk about it! Squirrels and chipmunks and gophers and moles and all the other animals were here before I moved in. I’ll do my best to co-exist with them, but if it means saving my iris, most likely I’ll try to find a way to deter them, not kill them. I was pretty ticked the day I found my iris ripped out of the ground, so I might have sent the wrong message! lol
I believe all creatures, even skunks, snakes, and spiders, are put on earth for a reason. Most, not all, a long time before any of us were. We should think it nice of them to allow us to share their space with us.
Try leaving the bonemeal out when you plant them, that may be attracting the squirrels to thinking that there is something tasty there.
Also, you can get mole repellant for bulbs that smells very much like horseradish – that may help.
Thanks, Bogie! Were pretty sure it was the bone meal they wanted. After I replanted, I goofed and left my bucket of tools, with the small package of bone meal on the patio. Fred found the bucket knocked over, and the package of bone meal had been dragged to the garden and partially dumped out. We’re going to try sprinkling pepper, and perhaps mothballs, when I plant the rest of the iris this week. I’ll look for the mole repellant if I plant bulbs. That might work with the gopher we’ve seen.