from time to time squirrels harass my tulips. When I first moved in I was excited about having tulips. The first day it was open I saw a squirrel head towards it and it bit the friggin stem off. I had no idea squirrels would do that, so now I chase them off when bulb flowers are blooming when I get the chance. lol. Sad to hear you didn't get to see your tulips even bloom :(

Wow. I'd be really miffed too. Wait all this time, and so close, then bam! Stupid critters thinking we're growing things for them to dine on.

Karen

swinish beasties - my entire crop of cherries were munched by bloody pigeons last year.
The bare-faced cheek of them!

Here deer eat any unprotected tulips. They seem to be especially tasty to the deer.

I have some growing in my small deer free compound, but it isn't the same as small clumps in the main yard section.

I forgot I had transplanted some red parrot tulips to the front--at the time I imagined myself putting wire or netting over them this spring. I forgot to protect them and they are now little stubs only. :(

A few years ago, as I looked out of the window, a squirrel ran up to my just opened tulip bloom, nipped off the flower head, dropped it and ran off.

I think I would have felt less insulted if the squirrel would have at least eaten the bloom.

I quit trying to grow tulips, just too many blasted squirrels and deer around here.

Deb

I feel your pain! I just love tulips but they have become impossible to grow in the past few years. The deer have even pushed aside netting draped over tulips and poked their noses through the openings in wire mesh to nab the buds inside. So for the time being I am giving up, but we will build a fence next year so I can have a deer-free zone as well.

Watch that lettuce - deer love lettuce almost as much as they love tulips!

I know nothing about deer, but squirrels do the same thing to almost every single tulip that is unlucky enough to bloom in my garden. They love the really bright colors, pastels not quite as much, but they never touch the species tulips.

If they would at least take the flowers home and put them in a vase I wouldn't hate them so much. Nope, they chomp them off and leave on the ground. No class at all.

Kevin

I am so sorry about the loss of your blooms. I think I am going to focus on other things besides blooms from now on, like foliage color and winter interest. I have been so disappointed when blooming plants don't bloom. It's awful to wait an entire year and not see anything.

A long while ago I mentioned to my dad that my tulip buds were being snapped off, but not eaten. He said that when he was younger his mom had mentioned that there is a kernel of sorts inside the bud and this is what they are after. It appeared the chipmunks were doing the same thing to my oriental and asiatic lilies. I would watch them shimmy up the tall stem and snap off the buds. Just for the record......I really do dislike rodents of any size, shape or form. Greedy little buggers.

If you're having trouble with animals and tulips why not try Daffodils. These days they come in many different colors and some don't even look like daffodils. The animals won't bother daffodils because they are poisonous when eaten

I have no animals around but I have both in my garden and welcome them all; every spring

I'm sorry to hear that :( the disappointment of a critter destroying a plant is terrible. Having said that, if you want squirrels to back off... a dog or two would do the trick ha ha. I had squirrels galore (even in the winter!!!) when I first moved in but after they learned a pit and husky moved in (and the husky actually caught one... that's a different, horrifying story) and then another pit joined the crew... the little %@$^%#@ still run along the privacy fence and tease them but they don't dare enter the yard. Doesn't help much for my front yard but.... the back yard is left alone by little critters for the most part.

Got two dogs and the next-door neighbor lets her cats roam - another reason I doubt it's rabbits, they don't hang around here, they're not *that* stoopid...

Don't think it's squirrels, since the buds are clean gone.

My money is on deer...

I noticed some checkered lily (fritillaries) flowers were chomped off but the flowers were on the ground next to the stems. Must be the squirrels!

I have resorted to daffodils too. My yard is an explosion of yellow at the moment.

I have rabbits..and squirrels..and lots of tulips..not saying it's not a challenge, but I drip garlic water all over the area..the buggers never come near the strong garlic smell.

I suppose if the tulips were near my front door...the smell might be noticeable...