Probably it has survived, but JEEZ these squirrels you have! Little &*^%^$!! they are! Hope they hate the habaneros.

Good Luck,

Don B.

I am having a severe squirrel issue this year which I have not had in previous years. My pots are a bit unsightly at the moment as I have chicken wire arched over them. My plan is to at least let the hosta get a good start.
Any suggestions re: other methods?

When they were the worst, they would pick on one plant. I had a Radiant Edger that they dug up so many times, I finally trashed it when Cleo went on her rampage. I guess my neighbor is keeping them well fed, as the major problem I'm having this year is corn coming up in all the pots.

As I said before, I tried the big rocks (I used 2 " river rocks). It worked pretty well except that it kept the plants wet. I can't say the rocks acted as a mulch, or Ken will correct me. But they kept the soil moist. If you watch that, it might work for you.

I've not tried the pepper, but I think Mocc uses cayenne pepper. I have made powdered habanero. (I can now buy it in the bulk spice section of the upscale grocery store.) You just dry it in the oven at your lowest temp. Then grind it in a spice/coffee grinder. Open the window, though. It will take your breath away and make you sympathize with those folks who live close to the sriracha plant.

bk

I just came home and of course, checked out my garden before going into my home. Holy Mouse Ears appears to be BACK! We've had monster rains today which will continue all night long, so that had to have helped. I found one mini snapdragon uprooted and laying on its side thanks to squirrels. I had not put much in the way of habanero pepper pieces over its way, so perhaps that is why it was uprooted.

Holy Mouse Ears' leaves looked virtually normal and the new leaf in the middle really expanded greatly just today. I am sooo glad I bit the bullet on the %%&*) squirrels' handiwork.

Thanks bkay, I will try the river rocks after I remove the ugly, but very effective, chicken wire. I want them to get established; then later on in the spring when they are larger, they should be able to survive a dig by the squirrels. The hostas are so much easier to damage when they are just emerging.