My ongoing war with the V.C. rages on.

[M. Frary]

The Varmint Cong strike when and where you least expect them to. This is the only tree that I put in a shed for winter protection. I'm not sure exactly the kind of animal that did this but it has to be a small rodent of some sort.

 

[Paradox]

Mice?
I think packing mothballs around your trunks might help with this?

 

[coh]

Mice most likely, voles a secondary possibility. Was this tree on the floor of the shed? So far, I've only had rodent damage when I've placed trees directly on the floor of my barn. If I elevate them on tables they have been safe.

You can wrap the trunks with plastic rodent mesh or maybe aluminum foil if you have to leave them on the ground. Set traps, baits, etc.

Sorry to see the damage. Better luck in the future.

Not sure if packing mothballs directly on the the soil/in contact with the trunk is a good idea.

 

[M. Frary]

Yeah it is sitting on the floor. I went out to put mothballs all around on the floor because I wasn't too sure about putting them where they could dissolve into the soil.
It was only the one tree. The only Japanese maple I own. It was in the shed in hopes of it making it through the winter. And the mice shot that idea right in the ass. Later today I go get D con to put in there and around the trees that are outside. I got to pull all of those out and inspect them for damage too.

 

[RickMartin]

Dang bud that is terrible.sorry.now I need to go check mine. I would wrap that trunk in aluminum foil for the winter.

Rick

 

[discusmike]

Sorry to hear,im sure its a mouse but ive never seen one do that much damage.

 

[M. Frary]

I went out right after I talked to you yesterday Rick. That tree is a goner. They girdle it all the way around. Maybe I'll get a sprout out of what's left in the spring. This does have layers that rooted on it still. I was going to cut them off in the spring so maybe all isn't lost. That tree isn't zoned for here so it was a crap shoot if it made it through the winter anyway.
What gets me is if anyone was going to kill this tree I thought it would be me. What a relief! Hahahahahahaha.

 

[M. Frary]

Sorry to hear,im sure its a mouse but ive never seen one do that much damage.

Probably a whole herd of them. They're going to wish they stayed in the woods. I'm leaving the tree where it is for bait. Traps and poison as soon as the hardware opens up. Also going to set off insect foggers in and under the shed. And little dishes of anti-freeze to drink .

 

[RickMartin]

Getting ready to go out and check mine. Mine are up off the floor so maybe im ok but you never know. I hope you can get a cutting off of it this spring.

 

[M. Frary]

Getting ready to go out and check mine. Mine are up off the floor so maybe im ok but you never know. I hope you can get a cutting off of it this spring.

If the little buggers don't climb up and eat them I have layers to cut off. They were secondary to the tree I planned on making out of the trunk.

 

[Dav4]

My house in MA was centuries old, and the foundation was dry laid stone...basically a condominium complex for mice. The corner of the basement where the walk out was stayed fairly cold and I thought it would be a great place to store some of my trees...bad idea. Less then a week after moving the trees in, I discovered my beloved JM with a 3" trunk had been COMPLETELY debarked, as had been the JBP rootstock of an imported white pine...live and learn.

 

[M. Frary]

My house in MA was centuries old, and the foundation was dry laid stone...basically a condominium complex for mice. The corner of the basement where the walk out was stayed fairly cold and I thought it would be a great place to store some of my trees...bad idea. Less then a week after moving the trees in, I discovered my beloved JM with a 3" trunk had been COMPLETELY debarked, as had been the JBP graft of an imported white pine...live and learn.

Yep. About a week. Hate learning the hard way!

 

[Eric Group]

I get some damage from squirrels during the winter sometimes, but I don't THINK mice have ever gotten any of my trees! That really sucks man... Nothing is more frustrating than a stupid rodent attacking your tree that you have spent so much time and money on! Makes you want to break out the Napalm and give 'em Hell!

 

[coh]

My house in MA was centuries old, and the foundation was dry laid stone...basically a condominium complex for mice. The corner of the basement where the walk out was stayed fairly cold and I thought it would be a great place to store some of my trees...bad idea. Less then a week after moving the trees in, I discovered my beloved JM with a 3" trunk had been COMPLETELY debarked, as had been the JBP rootstock of an imported white pine...live and learn.

Both my house and barn are old stone foundation and the "condominium complex for mice" is a very good description. We had some renovations done when we moved in (new kitchen) and when the drywall on the ceiling was removed, a bunch of old mouse skeletons came down with it. I use traps and baits in the house (basement and attic) and have managed to control the mouse population, but I don't think I'll ever eliminate it completely. Every so often one wakes me up at night as it scurries around in the ceiling.

I've had damage to plants both in my barn (on the floor only) and outside one winter. That's why I always advise caution when people are talking about over-wintering trees outside on the ground under mulch or dug into the soil. We're in a farming/rural area with lots of rodents around so it's risky for me. Even the trees planted in the ground aren't safe, I've been wrapping the trunks of the "special" ones every winter. It's a pain in the a$$ but a lot of hard work can be destroyed in a short period of time otherwise.

 

[bonsaibp]

Spearmint oil in small open containers will keep them all away. Boat owners have been using this trick for years to keep critters out of boats in storage for the winter.

 

[coh]

Spearmint oil in small open containers will keep them all away. Boat owners have been using this trick for years to keep critters out of boats in storage for the winter.

You can try stuff like this, but my experience has been that these kinds of methods just don't work reliably. Bill Valavanis advised using those ultrasonic deterrents and I picked up a couple of those. I've seen mice run right over them as if they weren't there. I read about using mothballs here so I bought some last winter and used them all around the perimeter of my storage area. Mice still got in (but the barn sure did smell bad, would probably be more effective to keep human predators out).

The only things I've used that have worked reliably are (1) traps (but these can be messy, must be emptied, etc), (2) poison bait (but this can mess up the local ecosystem as sick rodents get outside and get eaten by predators, especially raptors), (3) trunk wrapping (though the critters can still climb and eat higher parts of the trunk or branches, less likely to girdle the all important lower trunk) and (4) exclusion, build a solid structure with no entry points for rodents.

I know that member fourteener advocates providing food for the rodents so they are less likely to go after trees. I haven't tried this approach.

 

[crust]

I have solved my rodent problems by making a rodent proof storage area--that's a long story but the essentials are complete exclusion construction using metal and concrete deep around perimeter and metal exterior and interior skins and monitoring door usage.

One alternative method I have heard of for garages is to build a walk-in 1/4 mesh sub-building in the inside of your garage, Like a giant rabbit cage, wire on all six sides, 2x2 frame with a tight well fit door. I have heard of these also being used outside with the added benefit of shading and snow and ice protection.

 

[Kodama16]

Is the tree fully dormant? If so. Make a air layer on the tree. When spring come and it starts to push sap it will push water with the air layer. I've done this to a maple that the same thing happen to from squirrels. It worked for me. Mine was much smaller though.
Best of luck. If you decide to do the layer keep us posted.

 

[M. Frary]

I'm srart in to freak out here. In the last 3 days whatever is in that she'd has eaten 3 packs of rat poison and has another 12 inches of bark ate off of the tree! Almost afraid to go in the shed.

 

[wireme]

This is an odd one but it really works.
Clay and llama poop mixed into a slurry and painted on trunks.
That's how my mom keeps rodents off young fruit trees in the field, its worked for many years, any trees not painted pretty much guaranteed to be ringed.