I've been planting dormant tree saplings I got from Arbor Society. The spruces are fine but something dug by the Eastern Redbud but the Sargent Crabapple is dug up and gone I even turned tomato cages to protect from deer. I got squirrel rabbit and woodchuck roaming about in the area. Two questions Who is the culprit ? and What can I do to deter further thieving ? I do have a few more to do.
What type of underground critters do you have? I suspect woodchuck, gophers or voles. If you see ground disturbance around it could be because woodchucks ,gophers/voles are herbivories and prefer eating plants. Here are some of a their favorite foods , roots, tubers, grasses, and seeds. They are drawn to alfalfa, dandelions, bulbs, carrots, onions, garlic, perennial ragweed, sweet clover, pricky pear cacti, and many types of flowering plants and trees. I have been fighting them for years . The best way to get rid of woodchucks, gophers/voles are traps. Also moles are another unfortunate option. But a mole's diet is mostly insects and other invertebrates, including earthworms, centipedes, millipedes, snails, slugs, grubs, ants, sowbugs, termites, beetles, and crickets. Keep areas around and near the garden trimmed and grasses cut on lowest cut. Move the trees back in a pot until the issue is solved. They eat the roots and kill young trees. Very sorry you have these suspected critters. They have driven me crazy for years. I have lost many plants and trees. It’s been a ‘Long Battle’ . I have used all my weapons of mass destruction. Some years I beat ‘em others not so much. I will never surrender. I’m stubborn so are the enemy.
Thanks @Pacnorwest . I will plant the last three norway spruce since whatever it was left them alone and do the others in pot till they get growing and are established.
That's a shame about the sapling. I'm glad to be happy with the trees and shrubs that I have now. Most are tall enough now, and I don't want or need more, so the hassle factor of protecting young trees is minimal. Here was my original orchard 12 years ago. I cropped off the list of names for space. Close up of one, a chestnut tree. I usually had two layers of fencing. The heavier wire ones for support, and small opening ones like hardware cloth or chicken wire, for better protection. This was learned from experiences.
Great way to protect small trees from deer other critters. That reminds me when I planted my dahlias out in the garden and formed a basket-(Hardware cloth) around the tubers then planted the tubers to protect against gophers. It worked for awhile but they dig up so much soil around them that plants were leaning ever which way and eventually the gopher could grab a few bites out of the tubers exposed. Then the tubers would get moldy.
Clay— mate, so sorry to about your missing tree. That sort of thing still makes me cross. I never get used to it. It sounds like a grazer bit it and when it gave the little head jerk to cut off the top foliage whole thing came loose because it had recently been planted. Now, we get different types of marauders over here but the results of their presence is the same—destruction. When it comes to saplings of any sort here the practice is to drive a sturdy tree pole into the ground at an angle, leaning the direction of the prevailing wind. The sapling is then attached to the pole with a thick rubber or canvas in an “X” fashion..like tying-in toms, Clematis or espaliers. Do you know what I mean? This technique may help or even discourage the attackers there. Don’t you love those wire cages Daniel throws together. I used to build cages like that for my toms when O grew them outside. Pac’s comments are also helpful accounts to read and take note of. She also has probs with wandering browsers.
“Wandering browsers” as @Sjoerd puts it …. is quite comical… I do understand this dilemma all too well . Clay we all are available to help it’s in our DNA . Sending good vibes to you and your garden for a great season this year.
