April Showers May Bring Spring Bulbs. What Does that Mean for Your Pet? (2024)

FAQs

Do animals eat spring bulbs? ›

As much as we love a gorgeous display of flowering bulbs in spring, rodents, rabbits, and deer enjoy feasting on these ready-made meals. Voles, mice, and other rodents can't resist the plump, juicy bulbs we so conveniently tuck in the garden for them each fall.

Spring bulbs: Also called hardy bulbs, these bulbs are planted in fall, spend winter in the ground, and flower in spring. Some of the more common spring bulbs are tulips, irises, daffodils, hyacinth, allium and crocus.

The roots will then be able to supply the tops with water and nutrients from the soil. Waiting until spring to plant the bulbs will not satisfy these requirements, so spring-planted bulbs will likely not bloom this year.

Ideally, bulbs should be planted at least six weeks before hard, ground-freezing frost can be expected in your area. The bulbs need time to root and establish themselves. On the other hand, planting bulbs too early can lead to fungus or disease problems.

What spring bulbs or flowers are poisonous to dogs? Daffodils are poisonous to dogs if they eat the bulbs or flowers, or drink water from a vase with daffodils in. Daffodils are poisonous if eaten. They can give your dog an upset stomach, make them vomit, and make them very sleepy and wobbly.

They store the energy like a battery over winter and erupt into flower in spring. Bulbs are brilliant because they are foolproof plants – hardly anything can go wrong with them. Plant them too deep, too shallow or even upside down and they will still flower. They are also a great investment.

Most spring-flowering bulbs should be planted 6 to 8 weeks before the soil begins to freeze. In growing zones 4-5, the ideal planting time is mid to late October. Gardeners in zones 6-8 should wait until November. In warmer areas (zones 9-10), most spring-blooming bulbs must be chilled before they are planted.

Do I need to dig up my bulbs or can I leave them in the ground? Spring-blooming bulbs that are winter hardy, such as tulips, daffodils and crocus, can be left right in the ground. Summer bulbs such as dahlias, tuberous begonias and calla lilies, will not survive cold winters.

Squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, mice, voles, moles and deer are just some of the animals that that like to snack on flower bulbs.

Do squirrels eat spring bulbs? ›

Grey squirrels are usually easily spotted. Some of the signs they have been present can include: Eating fruits, nuts, seeds, flower buds and vegetables. Digging up and eating bulbs and corms.

Squirrels can be terrible pests! They won't bother daffodils and other narcissi bulbs (which taste terrible to them!), but they find tulips and crocus in particular to be worth the effort to sniff out and dig up.

Another way to protect your bulbs is to plant them with crushed stone or crushed oyster shells (available from feed stores). The gritty texture deters digging and chewing. To mask the appealing aroma of the bulbs, spray a deer repellant into the planting hole.