While mostly harmless to the home gardener, chipmunks are known to feed on newly-seeded garden beds. They can be a nuisance in rock gardens as well, where they burrow and disturb both rocks and your plants. The primary tactic for getting rid of chipmunks is to eliminate the places where they might take up residence, such as hollow logs and rock piles. See below for other ways to protect your garden from chipmunks.
- Keep chipmunks from burrowing in the garden by sprinkling dried blood-meal on the soil surface; its odor is repellent to them. The blood also supplies the soil with nitrogen.
- Chipmunks are bulb eaters and have a stronger appetite for newly-planted bulbs, especially crocuses, hyacinths and tulips. For protection, plant bulbs in wire baskets or sprinkle moth crystals on top. You can even plant bulbs deeper than usual and cover them with coarse gravel, because the animals usually give up on digging when they get to the stones.
- If chipmunks become problematic, and it’s not feasible to remove all of their potential homes, try trapping them and moving them to another site. Place a small box trap baited with oats, corn or peanut butter by the burrow entrance. Check with a wildlife official to ensure that moving wild animals is legal in your state.
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The best way to get rid of chipmunks is to eliminate the places they live.
