Should I worry about rabbits eating the bark on my trees?

Teddy12b · Mon Sep 23, 2013 2:47 pm

I've got a lot of young sapplings trees that I planted this year in the 1' - 5' range and then there's a bunch of fruit tree's in the 6' - 7' range. I never heard of rabbits chewing the bark off of trees at the base and so far I haven't seen any damage, but one of my neighbors who's a much better gardener than I'll ever be said that it's a real thing to worry about. I have found plenty of little bunny #2's out there in the field where the trees are but I haven't seen any damage to any trees yet either. Is this something that I won't need to worry about until the ground is covered in snow, or is this something I don't need to worry about at all?

applestar · Mon Sep 23, 2013 3:07 pm

Bunnies, voles/mice, deer -- they'll all try to eat your saplings -- bark and branches. Definitely protect appropriate to potential wildlife predation in the area.

Teddy12b · Mon Sep 23, 2013 4:09 pm

The neighbor has a couple cats that always patrol and there's a couple red tailed hawks that patrol the area as well. Rodents aren't much of a problem where I live, at least not with all the four legged or feathered hunters in my backyard. Even with the hawks I still find rabbit droppings here and there and they're the ones that have got me worried the most. So far the deer have really managed to leave my trees alone. Then again, as I say all of that it's not like the ground is covered in snow yet either.

I can't fence the whole area, and putting tubes on the trees that are already planted probably isn't feasible at this point either. I don't know what my options are and my neighbor has got me worried about those bunnies killing all my trees.

rainbowgardener · Mon Sep 23, 2013 4:44 pm

Yes, it is a serious problem.

Plastic spiral tree guards can be added at any time and are relatively inexpensive:

https://www.starkbros.com/products/tools ... 7AodcAwAfA

DoubleDogFarm · Mon Sep 23, 2013 4:47 pm

Simple cylinders made of hardware cloth, barried into the ground will help against wabbits.

Eric

applestar · Mon Sep 23, 2013 5:30 pm

Here's a thread in which a member posted photos of rabbit-damaged trees:
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/vi ... 62#p110162

Those kinds of damages are irreparable, so better to be safe

than sorry.

tomc · Mon Sep 23, 2013 6:37 pm

Some hardware cloth cut and rolled into cylinders (and staked in place) can be a barrier for your saplings and seedlings...

Teddy12b · Tue Sep 24, 2013 8:49 am

Here's an example of an average tree that I've planted this year. Basically all of my trees are staked liked this.

Most of them are pretty small, but they're fast growing trees. The majority of the trees have a trunk that's less than 3/4" diameter. There's some fruit trees that I planted that are about 1" to 1 1/2" diameter.

I planted all these trees this spring and was planning on leaving them staked in until spring '14 since that's about a year. If I needed to I could cut the stakes off to make putting some protection around the base that much easier/possible. I've never worked with hardware cloth, but for the number of trees (over 130) I think that'd be the most cost effective way for me to go.

Sounds like I need to make sure my 22lr has a good zero and get something around the base of these trees.

cynthia_h · Wed Sep 25, 2013 12:59 am

A rabbit's teeth grow constantly throughout its life, so rabbits instinctively chew constantly to keep their teeth to the right length. One "chewing food/treat" that owners commonly provide to rabbits is apple branches from untreated trees (not treated w/systemics). Pear and crabapple branches are also yummy to rabbits, as are willow and certain hardwoods (I don't have any hardwoods near me, so didn't pay as much attention to those varieties).

Hay also helps keep rabbits' teeth worn down, which is why they go for grassy-type plants. They're grazers, so if one rabbit here and one rabbit there each try a particular non-rabbit-friendly tree, even a plum/cherry/peach tree can eventually be girdled by continued rabbit "tastings" over a season. (Drupes are toxic to rabbits.)

Once a tree is girdled, there are two chances of it recovering: slim and...none.

Protection of the trees is the only way to be sure they'll be safe from rabbit teeth. Remember that rabbits eat on all fours and *also* while on their back feet, propping themselves on a tree/fence/other support with their front feet, and they can stretch out quite a bit (brown rabbit standing on back feet and rabbit near Park sign), so allow for the "stretch" factor as well.

Good luck.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

DoubleDogFarm · Wed Sep 25, 2013 1:40 am

Once a tree is girdled, there are two chances of it recovering: slim and...none.

Now now. Have you not heard of bridge grafts or inarching

Eric

rainbowgardener · Wed Sep 25, 2013 3:55 am

If you live where there are deer -- and who doesn't these days? I live on a big busy street 4 miles from downtown and I have deer -- they love to eat little tender trees like that down to nubs. Woodchucks will eat little trees.

Teddy12b · Mon Oct 14, 2013 2:27 pm

I was talking with a neighbor of mine who's a better gardener than I could ever hope to be abotu this issue. My biggest concern has been whether or not I should cut the strings from the stakes supporting the trees and let them stand freely. Depending on where you get your information some places say to leave a new tree staked and others say not to do it at all. I've had these trees in the dirt since Feb/Mar '13 and now it's Oct. If they haven't taken solid roots by now then they're not going to. I'm going to be cutting the strings and putting on drain tile around the trees.