QUIT it already! These are ONIONS, OK?

[applestar]

Spring is here and so are the blackbirds. They are tossing aside leaves and mulch looking for yummies -- and I hope they are finding snails, slugs, and cutworms.

Unfortunately, where I planted a border of yellow and red onions (in alternating colors) in my Front Yard Edible Landscaping, they have taken to yanking out the onion sets by their shriveled tops. Everyday, I find several on the ground next to the hole where they used to sit, fresh white roots exposed to the sun.

It could also be the robins, but I know it was blackbird at least the times when I've found the weeds I'd pulled and left to die in the path tossed back in the middle of the bed. Not once or twice on TOP of a veg seedling.

[GardenGnome]

My cats were doing that undigging my onions ;(

[applestar]

They are STILL doing it. Yesterday, I couldn't check in the morning and came home to find a dried up onion set next to its hole. Several onion sets are still in the ground but naked because they've had their dried outer skin pulled off of them when they hung on with their roots not to be pulled out!

Will it help to mulch with some straw or should I hide them with a floating cover?

[nes]

bird netting is probably your best bet . Plus it's black so not as visible in your yard.

[orgoveg]

That's a new one on me. Must be some really hungry black birds to be bothering with onions. Maybe a scarecrow is in order? You could get a stuffed animal that looks like a dog or something like that.

[soil]

we have the same problem with snow peas, i used to start them in the ground and prefer it. but have to start them in cell trays for planting. once big enough they leave them alone.