Return to the Trees Forum
| Post a Follow-Up
deer eating trees
| | |
Posted by cheesecurlgurl 5 (My Page) on Sun, Nov 15, 09 at 19:12
| I planted a chestnut tree and a showy ash this year. Now the deer are eating them! Do I wrap them for the winter, and, if so, with what? And when would I do this? I'm in southern NY,and it's November, but today was 74 degrees. What are the guidelines for when to wrap and unwrap them? The deer ate a good chunk out of the ash's bark, but I believe it is still alive. Is there something I should do for that? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: deer eating trees
| | |
- Posted by carrieb 7 Philadelphia (My Page) on
Sun, Nov 15, 09 at 21:00
| You can put a plastic or metal mesh fence around the trees, 5 - 6' should be plenty tall, out a foot or so from the trunk of the tree in all directions. You could also put stakes in the ground a foot or so out from the tree, and then wrap wire/cord around the stakes a few times. At the arboretum I worked in, we found even a few cords enough to discourage deer. |
RE: deer eating trees
| | |
- Posted by bboy USDA 8 Sunset 5 WA (My Page) on
Sun, Nov 15, 09 at 21:15
| Eating chunks out of bark does not sound like deer, but no matter: where sharecroppers of any kind have access to garden plantings, they must be fenced out or you will be exasperated indefinitely. |
RE: deer eating trees
| | |
| Could the damage be caused by a deer rubbing his antlers against the tree? This injury strips off the bark and the living cambium layer, and can cause serious damage to the tree if extensive. I would carefully remove the ragged edges of the damaged area with a sharp knife and then leave it alone. If the tree survives, it will heal the wound on its own. This may take several years if a lot of bark was lost. During this time, pay close attention to the tree's water and feeding needs. To prevent future damage from deer (and other gnawing critters), I would suggest you use one of the commercial tree wraps (plastic or vinyl) to protect the trunk. I have used the black plastic open-mesh protectors linked below for the past three years with great success. No animal damage to the bark whatsoever, and no rot or moisture build-up. They are not very visible from a distance as well. I put these protectors on all my young trees each fall (around September 1st) and remove them in late winter (around March 1st) when the deer have shed their antlers. |
Here is a link that might be useful: 48-inch tree bark protectors
RE: deer eating trees
| | |
It's the season of the deer rut my friend!--Been at current location for under three years. The first November I was here and saw the deer damage to one of my magnolias, I thought the neighbors must have bumped into it by accident.
It took me a while to realize the nuances of the deer lifestyle. The bucks rub their antlers on the bark of soft trunked trees especially--especially if their are few lower branches (telephone pole-like). There's a lot on the Internet regarding this problem. I now regularly wrap the trunks, have bars of Irish Spring soap hanging in old socks, tried sprinkling the base with cat pee. Seems to be much better than prior seasons. The males are looking to both mark territory and rub the velum off their antlers.--Attacking a mate maybe too. So far, I have been pleasantly surprised by the ability of the trees to recuperate. It will take several years as noted above and there may be thinner canopy on the damaged side for a time, but as long as the tree is not girdled (bark removed completely from around the circumference of the tree), it should recover. Also, DO NOT apply anything to cover the damage (no sealants, tars, etc.). Exposing the open wound to sun and oxygen is supposed to be best for success. Good luck! |
|
|
|
|
