Potted plant cheat

I had purchased a smallish mum from Wal-Mart a few weeks ago, to kill on my deck.  Well, actually the plan was for it to look nice in this terra cotta pot.  It died anyway. So, I purchased a Croton from Home Depot - let's see if I have better luck.  They have so many Fall colors on them - so pretty!  And according to HD, you have a year to return it if it dies, just bring the dead plant and your receipt.  
Sounds like a good deal.

Darn it, my $4 plant didn't quite fit in the pot.  Not to worry.  I stuffed newspaper alongside it in the pot, then camo'd the paper with moss.  If it lives, I will actually pot it in this planter.  Notice I wrote "if".  I haven't had good luck with potted plants lately.  They either die or the squirrels dig in them.

Maybe if the squirrels don't notice dirt, they'll keep out.

I think the moss just looks nicer than putting extra mulch or big rocks...

So far that fix has helped keep them from digging in the large pots alongside the house.