I have never had a chipmunck or squirrel dig in my pots. I do have a small bird that decided to build a nest in my tall hibicus that is planted in a pot on my covered front porch. I have no landscaping as my house is new, but I guess since she could not find a tree at my house my hibiscus worked for her! LOL I don't mind because I can clearly see the nest when I look out my doors sidelight. Can't wait to see the babies !!

Well, the right kind of barrier will stop them. Probably not the flimsy "bird netting" or something like tulle/nylon net. Hardware cloth, however, will stop them cold, and it now comes in a plastic version that is both much cheaper and easier to work with, no sharp edges. I haven't tried it for this application, but it keeps the squirrels and chipmunks out of my poultry pens without issue, no attempts to go through it for the feed.

Yes, chipmunks, squirrels-they dig everywhere. In pots, in ground...I use hardware cloth on pots that I know they would love to munch on. They like tulip bulbs, I have done what I read (in garden beds): plant bulbs, cover within about 1/2-1" of top level with soil, then put piece of chicken wire over the area & finish with rest of soil. Squirrels won't be able to get to your bulbs. I have put a "dome" made of hardware cloth over some pots too.

Do you think they will (squirrels, chipmunks) get to your balcony?
I would not cover with net to keep birds away, I don't think they will harm your plants, they will pick some bugs off them. Unless you grow fruit, in that case I would put net over just as it starts ripening...
Rina

I was using those little peat pellets to start seeds in but for some reason they seemed to be irresistible to squirrels they dug up every plant that was started from one of those but left adjacent plants alone..go figure!