When safe to remove chicken wire protection from spring bulbs?

ellieb850 · January 2021

Hi there, I planted a load of spring-flowering bulbs in autumn, and due to previous run-ins with squirrels digging them up, I’ve covered them all in chicken wire. This is doing an excellent job of stopping the squirrels, but the shoots are now appearing, and I’m wondering when it’s ‘safe’ to remove the chicken wire?

I don’t want to take it off too soon and have the squirrels come & dig them up now...but I also don’t want the shoots to be too hampered by the wire.

Can anyone advise?
Thanks!!

selinasally · January 2021

I was just about to post the same thing - I have over planted with pansies which are not looking great and some primula which seems to be mildew friendly and I was wondering if I should remove all these now-
My layered technique of bulb planting now has the early bulbs pushing through past the pansies and primulas beneath which I also have chicken wire -
When do I remove the over planted plants and the chicken wire ?
many thanks

AnniD · January 2021

My understanding is that the chicken wire can be removed as soon as the bulbs start to appear

.
As for the pansies etc., the bulbs can find their way through, but if they're looking really tatty l remove them. I've lost a fair few pansies to leaf spot this year.

ellieb850 · January 2021

Thanks so much AnniD! - that's great to know

Selinasally I'm glad I'm not the only one who's been wondering this

shane.farrell · January 2021

I have just cut back all my overplanted pansies (also loads of leaf spot this year) as the main show is starting. The may or may not grow back but did their job and I have some Primula and Polyanthus which I'll leave in I think.

selinasally · January 2021

AnniD said:

My understanding is that the chicken wire can be removed as soon as the bulbs start to appear .
As for the pansies etc., the bulbs can find their way through, but if they're looking really tatty l remove them. I've lost a fair few pansies to leaf spot this year.

yes they look spotty and not healthy

selinasally · January 2021

Thanks all this is what is going on ....

ellieb850 · January 2021

philippasmith2 said:

Unless you plan to dig up your bulbs after flowering, you can leave the chicken wire in situ. Most other perennials will just push thru happily enough. Save you faffing about again next year ?

Good suggestion philippasmith2, but my chicken wire is on top of my beds and pots rather than in buried in the ground (I'm a newbie at bulb planting & protecting, so didn't realise till too late that you can bury it!) - so I'm keen to remove it when I can, as it currently makes my garden look pretty crazy!

Plus sadly there aren't many perennials in the beds to come through, so once the bulbs are done I'll be planting new stuff in there!
Maybe next year, once I've got some perennials going this year!

BenCotto · January 2021

Is the shoe in photo 1 handily placed for throwing at the marauding squirrel?

shane.farrell · January 2021

I found that a decent layer of gravel prevents most rodent attacks, looks nice and reduces splashing dirt in the rain

JennyJ · January 2021

I would just pick off the dead/dying leaves and flowers from the primulas and pansies. The bulbs will come up between them.

If you want the pots for something else when the bulbs have finished doing their stuff, you can plant out the whole lot in the garden. Just dig a hole and put in the whole potful. That way the bulb roots don't get disturbed much, their leaves can finish dying down and building up the bulbs for next year. If the pansies are dead by then you could dispose of them at the same time. Primulas/polyanthus are reasonably perennial but die back over the summer, so you could keep those if you like.

When safe to remove chicken wire protection from spring bulbs?

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