Nancy has planted flowers along the sidewalk to our back yard for several years. And for several years, the squirrels and chipmunks wait until the cultivated ground has been planted, then they dig up everything in sight and plant their own acorns and nuts. This can get discouraging. I suggested a box .177 caliber pellet gun projectiles to take care of her problem, but she was all about sparing the rodents. Sometimes, she would scatter chipmunk and squirrel repellent, which was not only pricey, but ceased to be effective after even a soft rain.
Then, she discovered blood meal which has two benefits: First, it is a rich source of nutrients, and most importantly, rodents can’t stand it. They stop digging after even a mild application and it has a long shelf life.
As you can imagine, blood meal comes from, well, blood. They collect it in slaughterhouses, then they dry and treat it into a fine powder. Blood meal is packed with nitrogen along with smaller traces of phosphorous and potassium. They say it is one of the highest non-synthetic sources of nitrogen that’s available. It promotes rapid plant growth and provides a slow and steady feeding for up to 3 months. It is ideal for vegetables, flowers, shrubs and even trees, plus it helps activate and break down compost piles.
It’s available at all the Big Box stores for about $9.
Plants love it, squirrels hate it. What more can you ask of a garden product?
