“Deer Candy” Tulips

Dependable Daffodils

Who doesn’t love colorful flowering bulbs in the early spring garden? Unfortunately, many gardens are terrorized by flower-devouring deer or bulb-chomping squirrels, voles and other critters. When utilizing smelly sprays, expensive fencing, or firearms are not options, plant a wide choice of flower bulbs that critters don’t like.

Start out with long-lived daffodils, also called narcissus. They come in so many varieties, small or large flowers, and in color choices ranging from yellow, white, orange, pink, or bi-colors. Deer and rodents won’t eat them like tulips and most types of crocuses which are candy to them.

Alliums, snowdrops (Galanthus), snowflakes (Leucojum aestivum), camassia, starflowers (Ipheion), glory-of-the-snow and blue squill are also critter-proof. Deer and rodents usually leave them alone. Hyacinthoides, Scilla, Grecian windflowers (Anemone blanda) are also good bets.

Most bulbs naturalize and return to bloom for many years. Planted them in a sunny location and in well-drained soil. Encourage bulbs to naturalize by allowing the foliage to die back naturally after bloom. Do not cut back or braid foliage immediately after flowering. Leaves will store up food via photosynthesis in the new bulbs. Fertilize spring flowering bulbs in late winter with a slow-release fertilizer (Milorganite™, Osmocote™, or specially labelled bulb products).

Certain bulbs such as snowdrop (Galanthus), scilla, winter aconite (Eranthis), and snowflakes (Leucojum) are highly shade tolerant. Bulbs emerge in late winter in open deciduous shade. They receive adequate sunlight through the open deciduous woodland canopy before new tree foliage emerges by mid-spring.

Special situations: In stressful environments when animals are starving, they’ll eat almost any bulbous plant.

Best of The Critter Proof Bulbous Perennials

Ornamental onion (Allium)

Camassia

Glory of the snow (Chionodoxa).

Colchicum (late summer and fall bloomer)

Crocus tommasinianus – Squirrel-proof only

Fritillaria

Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis)

Spanish bluebell (Hyacinthoides hispanica)

Starflowers (Ipheion)

Snowflake (Leucojum)

Narcissus (Daffodil)

Scilla