So far this year very few sprouts or transplants have been bitten off by bunnies, squirrels or chipmunks.  Since warmer weather is on the way, there is still potential for the tender greens to be nipped away by a hungry rodent. I need to take preventative action before I lose any of my beautiful Mammoth Sunflowers. In the photograph above you can see a sunflower sprout, hopefully protected by the smell of a freshly wet baby diaper.

A bag of cleaned out kitty litter also has a bit of an odor even when closed, hopefully it will frighten away any hungry rodents.

I made small cages with chicken wire, open on the bottom, closed at tops and sides, and covered tender transplants such as zucchini and melons. Any transplant that grows from a nut-like seed seems to be a favorite of hungry animals and even birds.

Four of my sunflowers are encased within a tall chicken wire tube. Be very careful working with chicken wire, the jagged edges bounced up several times near my eyes. It has quite a lot of spring and is unruly and hard to control. The tubes were not difficult at all to make. Bend the long cut edge together until it stays closed, cover with clear cellophane (a dollar store item) and tape with duct tape or gorilla duct tape.

Because the tube is tall it will catch the wind. You need to anchor it to something. I used another long piece of duct tape and nailed it into the wood of my square foot garden.

The long view from above. I have high hopes for my sunflower towers.