Critter-Free Bulbs

Don't let the squirrels feast on your flowers. Host Rebecca Kolls has a list of bulbs that critters hate, but you'll love.

Daffodils

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As fall arrives and the garden starts to die back, the list of garden chores seems to grow. Cover the bushes, fertilize the lawn and one of the most tedious tasks, plant the spring bulbs. There we are, up to our elbows, digging and planting, and planting some more. But when the job is done, we can sit back and dream of beautiful spring blooms like tulips and crocus.

But keep in mind, those dreams can quickly be shattered if the bunnies or squirrels get to them first. It's every gardener's nightmare, watching a cunning critter dine on a bed of bulbs that we spent hours planting. What's a gardener to do? You could plant your bulbs in plastic cages, sprinkle them with cayenne pepper, wrap them in steel wool, and the list goes on.

'Cum Laude' daffodil

But really does it have to be this hard? Absolutely not, if you know which bulbs to plant. Some of the popular bulbs that the animals will stay from include allium, daffodils and hyacinth. Animals don't like these simply because they don't taste good. And these will provide you with color from early spring right into summer. The daffodils are one of the first bulbs to bloom in the spring. And if you don't want yellow, there are other colors to enjoy--like the creamy white 'Mount Hood' and the peachy 'Cum Laude' Or how about the orange and white 'Barret Browning'. Check out any bulb catalog and you'll see that daffodils have diversified.

Fritillaria

If you want fragrance, hyacinths are perfume in a blossom. Early spring, these beauties offer bright large flower spikes with a sweet scent second to none. For later blooms, alliums produce fabulous globe-shaped clusters that vary in height. They grow best in Zones 4-7.

And there are a lot of other special bulbs that you may not be aware of. Take for example fritillaria. A big bulb with a terrible stink; it smells like a dead skunk, but the blooms are beautiful.

Muscari

Some other special bulbs that are critter-resistant include Spanish bluebells, camassia and muscari (also known as grape hyacinth). In early spring, the muscari produces small vibrant cone-shaped blooms that are very long lasting. The Spanish bluebells offer delicate, dangling bells in softer pastel shades. And if you want tall purple plumes as a backdrop in the garden, be sure to add camassia to your bulb collection.

And the best part about these bulbs is that they all thrive in the woodlands, the places where the bunnies and squirrels live, so they're perfect. As far as planting goes, wait till overnight lows are between 40-50 degrees for at least two weeks. That's the perfect time to dig in.

Plant bulbs with the pointed side up.

I like to plant my bulbs around hosta. After the bulbs start dying back, the hosta emerges and will cover up the decaying foliage. For dramatic contrast, plant small bulbs like muscari in front, and large bulbs like daffodils in back.

Start by digging a hole for the muscari. Since these are small bulbs, the depth should be about four to six inches. Next, toss in a hand full of bulbs, making sure the points are looking up at you. Add a light layer soil, sprinkle on some bulb food, and finally, cover up the hole with soil. Next, plant the daffodils in back, and since these are larger bulbs, you'll want to dig a hole that's 8-10 inches deep. Once you get bulbs planted, water them in. Don't mulch until you get a heavy frost, at that point you can add a thick layer of mulch.

If you don't want critters to undo your hard work, plant varieties of bulbs (like daffodils) that they don't like to eat.

And the nice thing about daffodils and muscari is that they will naturalize over time. That means they will spread out over time, so the area you plant will be covered with flowers in the spring. And that's how you plant a feast for the eyes and not the squirrels.