Why You Should Reconsider Planting Daffodils To Deter Squirrels From Your Garden

Squirrels can do a lot of damage to your garden. While they're mostly known for eating nuts and seeds, they actually aren't picky creatures. Squirrels also consume berries, squash, and peas. If you have fruit trees, they'll eat from those as well, knocking off fruit as they leap from branch to branch. Some gardeners repel squirrels by planting species of flowers like daffodils (Narcissus pseudonarcissus) that will supposedly ward them off. While daffodil bulbs are mildly poisonous to squirrels due to a toxic chemical called lycorine, they don't necessarily protect the rest of your fruits and vegetables. A plant is not necessarily a squirrel repellent just because it is poisonous. Squirrels are smart enough to avoid your daffodil bulbs and eat other, non-poisonous bulbs that happen to be growing nearby.

Anyone who's ever had their flower beds ravaged by squirrels will understand how frustrating it can be to maintain a backyard garden. You may just need to avoid the common mistake of planting bulbs too close to the surface of the soil. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, so you need to research the recommended soil depth for each type of flower you plant. For example, if you plant crocuses at the recommended depth of 4 inches and properly tamp down the soil, most squirrels won't get to them. While squirrels can dig, they probably won't know that the bulbs are beneath the ground as long as they're planted deep enough. You can also look into buying fragrant plants that will keep squirrels out of your garden.

Short of poisoning them with daffodil bulbs, there are various ways to humanely banish squirrels from your garden. The most expensive way is to buy a dog to keep an ever-watchful guard over your property, but there are plenty of more affordable, less time-consuming options. One very simple method is to sprinkle coffee grounds in your garden because the pungent smell is known to repel squirrels. Coffee grounds also happen to make a good fertilizer. 

Another smell that squirrels can't stand is cinnamon. Some folks also put up owl and hawk decoys to frighten the squirrels away. You can also put up a squirrel feeder so that your backyard squirrels are led away from your garden. But remember that this method is controversial because some homeowners find that feeders just bring more squirrels to the yard than there ever would have been in the first place. If squirrels attack the feeder, try switching out the pole with a piece of PVC pipe.

And while daffodils may not be the best squirrel repellent, there are plenty of good reasons to plant them in your backyard. For the same reason they're resistant to squirrels, they're also resistant to deer.  They also bloom early in the spring, which will brighten up your yard when few other plants are blooming. Since they're perennials, you can expect daffodils to return every year. While these flowers won't necessarily protect your garden from squirrels, hopefully, their beauty is enough to warrant keeping them around.