Must be rabbits. Master pruners.

Eckhoffw

Eckhoffw

Masterpiece
Messages
3,492
Reaction score
6,455
Location
St. Paul Mn.
USDA Zone
4b
Just felt like sharing my examples of volunteer pruning work.

I think my helpers/destroyers are rabbits, but there could be others.

Sometimes the hungry critters are pretty darn destructive. Sometimes, they actually force in some improvements!🤣

Anyways, some pics from today.

Amur maple. IMG_5259.jpeg
Grey alder. IMG_5257.jpeg
An elmIMG_5258.jpeg
Some crab apple starters. IMG_5265.jpeg
A red elmIMG_5263.jpeg
The little burning bush got chomped in a not so good way. IMG_5260.jpeg

Please share any pest remodeling projects you have!🤣
 
Sensitive viewers may want to leave the room...
First, the trees damaged on a raised concrete block patio with multiple layers of fencing that were defeated by the bunnies. Species include maples, crabapples, Japanese quince, silverberry. Some pines were nibbled on, too.IMG_2525.jpegIMG_2524.jpegIMG_2523.jpegIMG_2522.jpegIMG_2521.jpegIMG_2520.jpeg

More carnage in the landscaping just outside of the patio. Species include a Ryusen palmatum, dwarf P. parviflora, dwarf lilac and Rose of Sharon.

IMG_2519.jpegIMG_2518.jpegIMG_2517.jpegIMG_2515.jpegIMG_2516.jpeg
 
Last edited:
KateM said:
Yup. Same here... but i noticed that most of bunny "truffles" are on the snow around the area where I put bird seed out. I think it destructed them somewhat from the trees,
Click to expand...
I've got loads of bird seed on another part of the patio and just of of it right where my dwarf lilacs are... 🤷‍♂️
 
Dav4 said:
Sensitive viewers may want to leave the room...
First, the trees damaged on a raised concrete block patio with multiple layers of fencing that were defeated by the bunnies. Species include maples, crabapples, Japanese quince, silverberry. Some pines were nibbled on, too.View attachment 628307View attachment 628308View attachment 628309View attachment 628310View attachment 628311View attachment 628312

More carnage in the landscaping just outside of the patio. Species include a Ryusen palmatum, dwarf P. parviflora, dwarf lilac and Rose of Sharon.

View attachment 628313View attachment 628314View attachment 628315View attachment 628316View attachment 628317
Click to expand...
First year I had this problem too it sucks
 
Tahoebonsai said:
First year I had this problem too it sucks
Click to expand...
I was fine for the first 3 winters here in MI. Last year was the first time I had rabbit damage on my patio. This winter's persistent cold and long lasting snow cover was like pouring gas on a camp fire.
 
It's been bad this year so far. Not sure just how bad the damage is but at least a few of my smaller trees in grow beds got eaten down to almost nothing before I put the fence up. Think the little bastards might have killed my Chrysler Imperial rose, too.
Next rabbit I see is going in the stew pot!
 
sorrow loves company. Thanks guys and gals for the support!

I use fencing to an extent. The Irish spring soap trick seems to help for deer, but not as well for the bunnies.

The plants that get left alone are the ones boxed in by a substantial physical barrier, I.e. cinder blocks/planks.


IMG_5276.jpeg
 
Here is my trimmed azalea. It wasn't protected, but I also did not expect them to eat it... They generally don't bother azaleas...
20260212_174335.jpg
They got all the flower buds for sure, think it's going to make my pruning decisions easier...
 
Eckhoffw said:
sorrow loves company. Thanks guys and gals for the support!

I use fencing to an extent. The Irish spring soap trick seems to help for deer, but not as well for the bunnies.

The plants that get left alone are the ones boxed in by a substantial physical barrier, I.e. cinder blocks/planks.
Click to expand...
My setup in the backyard is quite similar to yours. Mine is all cinder blocks with 4-5 inches of mulch inside. So far, the rabbits hop right past. They could jump in if they figure it out...need to install some type of gullitune if they make it past the walls.

1770942105036.png

My wife saw the damage to the landscaping bushes like Dave has and wondered if we should just feed the rabbits. But where does that end? Draw them away; they'll just be back for more bushes. She's no Elmer Fudd. :)
 
I don't have any specific pictures, but my natural prunes are the local deer. At my last residence, the deer left all of my plants alone except for what was in the last scape. If I didnt have a window separating us, I could reach out and touch them. Somewhat used to humans as they didnt care that we could see each other through a window.

My current house though....the dear are relentless on what they choose to eat. I probably lost a couple dozen seedlings to their chompers. Good thing I had about a hundred plus of each species.

They also defoliated my Katsura and maples at least twice last year. Wouldn't be such a bad thing if I wasn't still trying to bulk up the trunk and build branches.

The surprise benefit i had is that my Zelkova and Katsura seedlings/saplings had a lot of branching early on for a broom style.

Also....they love to eat my dwarf flowering quience. Dont seem to care about the thorns.
 
Kievnstavick said:
I don't have any specific pictures, but my natural prunes are the local deer. At my last residence, the deer left all of my plants alone except for what was in the last scape. If I didnt have a window separating us, I could reach out and touch them. Somewhat used to humans as they didnt care that we could see each other through a window.

My current house though....the dear are relentless on what they choose to eat. I probably lost a couple dozen seedlings to their chompers. Good thing I had about a hundred plus of each species.

They also defoliated my Katsura and maples at least twice last year. Wouldn't be such a bad thing if I wasn't still trying to bulk up the trunk and build branches.

The surprise benefit i had is that my Zelkova and Katsura seedlings/saplings had a lot of branching early on for a broom style.

Also....they love to eat my dwarf flowering quience. Dont seem to care about the thorns.
Click to expand...
All of the pictures I posted above were taken within my bonsai garden area which is protected by a deer fence. Anything in the landscape I care about that isn't 10+ feet tall is wrapped with fencing. The only thing that survives in my yard without protection unmolested by deer or rabbits is a boxwood hedge with a likely terminal leaf miner infestation 🤷‍♂️:rolleyes:... the enchanted mitten my ass!
 
KateM said:
Here is my trimmed azalea. It wasn't protected, but I also did not expect them to eat it... They generally don't bother azaleas...
View attachment 628345
They got all the flower buds for sure, think it's going to make my pruning decisions easier...
Click to expand...
Azaleas are quite toxic I thought, hopefully whatever ate it finds out the hard way.
 
KateM said:
So did I, yet I don't see intoxicated rabbits stumbling around... :)
Click to expand...
Well, hopefully they are taking a long nap in a burrow somewhere sleeping off the hangover.

I just always assumed that since they are closely related to Mountain Laurel that nothing would go near them. The honey that bees make from the flowers of mountain laurel is even toxic.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Jetson1950
Must be time to Chop and Pot
Replies
2
Views
350
Jetson1950
Jetson1950
Walter Pall
One of the moist important bonsai videos - a must see
Replies
14
Views
2K
nuttiest
N
M
Must have accessories/tools
Replies
10
Views
2K
Paradox
Paradox
notforsale
On round pots, must the apex always break the lateral boundary?
Replies
4
Views
1K
rockm
rockm
sorce
Must Sell Some Pots - Free Shipping
2 3
Replies
47
Views
6K
Crawforde
Crawforde
Back
Top Bottom