I’ve wanted a butterfly weed plant for years and this year I finally just decided to buy some small ones and remove any guesswork. That night the idiot squirrel that lives on my property dug them both up, so this is my solution to protect the new one i was graciously given for free from the same nursery i got the others.

I used like ten 6" landscaping staples to anchor the wire, and if the squirrel gets through that I’m gonna lose my shit

  • Rodsthencones@startrek.website
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    10 hours ago

    I find that squirrels have a lot more time in a day to try to figure out how to get to food, than I have to try to prevent them.

    If I stop the squirrels, its more interesting to the bunnies, so then they join in to try.

    If the bunnies try, then it becomes a competition with the chipmunks and ground hogs.

    Within a week I have a deer in my yard claiming victory over all the tiny animals that aren’t as great and majestic, while standing over the hole that used to be my special plant.

    • sneekee_snek_17@lemmy.worldOP
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      6 hours ago

      I typically try not to fight nature, but I’ve wanted a butterfly weed plant for YEARS and refuse to sacrifice this one

  • BlueLineBae@midwest.social
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    20 hours ago

    I use a similar method for rats in my city. But I also use a ring of lava rock around the mesh because they hate the way it feels. My mom stole this method from me to save her herbs from squirrels and it seemed to work so well that she now puts lava rock in all her flower planters to keep the squirrels from digging up the flowers.

  • 9limmer@lemmy.zip
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    21 hours ago

    Would it help to spray a mix of blended chilis and/or cayenne pepper powder on the plant and surrounding area?