Small trees can also be protected by placing white corrugated or spiral tree guards around their trunks. To prevent rabbits from crawling underneath the fencing, pin the fencing to the soil with U-shaped anchor pins. In most cases, a fence that stands 24 to 36 inches tall should be sufficient.

To adequately protect plants, the fencing material needs to be high enough that rabbits won’t be able to climb or reach over the fence after a heavy snow. The most effective way to prevent rabbit damage to trees and shrubs in the home landscape is to place chicken wire or hardware cloth fencing around vulnerable plants. Rabbits feed on the tissue between the bark and the wood. If rabbits remove the tissue down to the wood and go completely around the tree's trunk, the damaged tree is effectively girdled. Girdling destroys the tree as it disrupts the downward flow of food from the tree's foliage to the root system. Rabbits damage shrubs by chewing off small branches and girdling large stems. Trees and shrubs that are often damaged by rabbits in winter include crabapple, apple, pear, redbud, honey locust, serviceberry, burning bush (aka winged euonymus), flowering quince, barberry, roses, and raspberries. Small evergreens (especially pines) are also vulnerable. However, nearly all small trees and shrubs are susceptible to damage when food sources are scarce and rabbit populations are high. Rabbits Trees and Shrubs Susceptible to Damage Rabbits | Deer | Mice & Voles | More Information This rubbing removes the thin layer of bark on small trees and can seriously damage or destroy them.īelow is how to help manage these critters and prevent damage to your garden plants through the winter months. In fall, bucks rub their antlers on trees to remove the dried velvet from their antlers and to mark their territory. Deer may devour the foliage on the lower branches of arborvitae, pines, and other evergreens.

Mice and rabbits may girdle the trunks of small trees, effectively destroying them.

Damage is most likely to occur when food is scare during prolonged periods of snow cover. These animals may feed on trees and shrubs during the winter months and severely damage or destroy plants. By taking steps in the fall, you can prevent damage from occurring over the winter. Prevention is key to managing these garden pests. Deer, rabbits, mice, voles, and other animals can cause a lot of damage on trees and shrubs over the winter months.

Roots and Branches by J. Suthern Hicks