bulbs and rodents

[John85]

Colchicums are untouched by rodents as far as I know.Any other resistant bulb?
Crocus and tulips are nearly always on the menu.And so are alliums.
What about narcissus?Have you had some damage?
I can't control the rodents even with the help of the cat,four adders and a owl.
So I have to choose species that are not eaten.

[pehe]

Maybe you should try growing Drimia maritima (syn. Urginea maritima). It has been used as a poison against rats. They likes eating the bulb - and then they die.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drimia_maritima

[Maggi Young]

Maybe you should try growing Drimia maritima (syn. Urginea maritima). It has been used as a poison against rats. They likes eating the bulb - and then they die.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drimia_maritima

Might that not then poison John's helpers?   

[bibliofloris]

The gray squirrels here dig up and eat all the crocus except for Crocus tommasinianus. I’ve never seen any rodent touch a narcissus, and my cyclamen seem fine too. I can’t recall them bothering frittilaries? But then, my alliums aren’t usually bothered either.

[Palustris]

We cannot grow Crocus except in gravel which makes it hard for the mice to dig them up. Never seen any signs of then eating any of the Scilla tribe though.

[Claire Cockcroft]

I used to think Crocus tommasinianus was rodent resistant too, until last year, when huge patches were "thinned".  Rodents also went after Fritillaria meleagris for the first time.  So far, scilla haven't been dug.  As I say, so far...

...Claire

[John85]

Indeed scilla peruviana escaped here also and so far asphodelus albus.
Drimia maritima is a nice plant but far too expensive to be used to poison mice.
What about camassia?

[Palustris]

Not lost any Camassias to anything, nor Galtonia (now Ornithogalum) and Acis seem to survive too. Badgers adore Tulips.

[bibliofloris]

I used to think Crocus tommasinianus was rodent resistant too, until last year, when huge patches were "thinned".  Rodents also went after Fritillaria meleagris for the first time.  So far, scilla haven't been dug.  As I say, so far...

...Claire

Please don’t tell your rodents about my side of the water, Claire!

I haven’t had issues with galanthus or leucojum and rodents.

I’m not sure I’d really recommend planting Hyacinthoides hispanica, but the rodents don’t bother it either...or maybe it spreads so much I just can’t see the gaps?

Kelly

[François Lambert]

From reading I tend to think Amaryllidaceae will be rodent proof, and fritilliara's and garlic also.  Either the smell of the bulbs will make them avoid the spots, or perhaps they 'know' this is not food for them.  You can also try to get Euphorbia Lathyrus to come into your garden, where eventually it will self seed.  The sap of the plant is poisonous when they bite the roots, and the seeds are also poisonous.  It is also said to repell moles, but I have seen such a plant being lifted by a mole making a molehill exactly where it was growing.

Of course, when you use nature's means to solve your problem, you will not eradicate the rodents but move towards an acceptable balance.

[John85]

Unfortunately alliums are eaten by rodents so I don't think the smell of garlic will repel them.
What about crocosmia and montbretia?
 

[Palustris]

Crocosmia and Montbretia are the same thing. One of those Botanical mysteries, Crocosmia were never officially called Montbretia. And we have never lost any to rodents.

[bibliofloris]

Yes, they leave my crocosmia alone as well.
Kelly

[Véronique Macrelle]

the camassia remain for years.
 the lilies are devoured, even large bulbs installed for a long time. (Lilium henrii top of 2.50 m, big patch of Lilium martagnon: enough to cry )!
 Ornihtogallum umbellatum resists, but we do not have my same rodents!

[Mariette]

With me, camassias have been eradicatd by rodents. Even snowdrops are not only moved over long distances, but also damaged, see pic.
As I lost several choice selections of bluebells, I´m interested if anybody experienced them to be eaten by rodents.