I hope you'll bear with me, confirm or contradict my assumptions, and
answer any questions you have answers for.

I planted a cherry tree almost a year ago, and actualy got about 20
cherries from it soon after Memorial Day. I was hoping for a lot more
this year.

This winter, we had lots of snow in Baltimore (and everywhere else , for
that matter) and for the first time I noticed what seemed like deer
tracks in the snow, though they weren't perfect (which I attributed to
melting, not to being a non-deer.) and I also saw something was eating
the bark on the tree, about 1/4 o the circumference. Is that
enough to kill the tree?? or to kill branches that start on the same
side that the bark is gone from????

I have an end-of group townhouse with a small yard, and a 46" picket
fence. I know that it's nothing for a deer, even a baby deer?, to jump
over the fence, but I've never seen one inside the fence or found deer
tracks. (I see lots a block away, but I don't even see them right
outside the fence, except a couple times in 10 years)

There was no trunk knawing during the summer or fall. Is the recent
bark eating because the snow covered other food and it was looking for
something new and easy to eat that was above the snow?????

Would that imply that I'm relatively safe as long as there is no snow on
the ground??


The tree came with a coil of white plastic around the trunk, that
covered about 12 inches of trunk. I left it on and the dear ate from
the part above the plastic. I have another coil from another tree
that died, so I put that on now, covering 2 feet of trunk, all of the
trunk below the first limb,

Do you think that is enough to stop the deer, or will it push the
plastic aside, or eat from trunk above the limb (which might be harder
to get at.) ?????

OTOH, God didn't make trees with plastic covers. Will the tree be
missing out on something if I leave that cover on for years to come?????


Is it possible the bark will grow back??

Thanks.

On 3/17/2014 8:25 AM, micky wrote:
I hope you'll bear with me, confirm or contradict my assumptions, and
answer any questions you have answers for.

I planted a cherry tree almost a year ago, and actualy got about 20
cherries from it soon after Memorial Day. I was hoping for a lot more
this year.

This winter, we had lots of snow in Baltimore (and everywhere else , for
that matter) and for the first time I noticed what seemed like deer
tracks in the snow, though they weren't perfect (which I attributed to
melting, not to being a non-deer.) and I also saw something was eating
the bark on the tree, about 1/4 o the circumference. Is that
enough to kill the tree?? or to kill branches that start on the same
side that the bark is gone from????

I have an end-of group townhouse with a small yard, and a 46" picket
fence. I know that it's nothing for a deer, even a baby deer?, to jump
over the fence, but I've never seen one inside the fence or found deer
tracks. (I see lots a block away, but I don't even see them right
outside the fence, except a couple times in 10 years)

There was no trunk knawing during the summer or fall. Is the recent
bark eating because the snow covered other food and it was looking for
something new and easy to eat that was above the snow?????

Would that imply that I'm relatively safe as long as there is no snow on
the ground??


The tree came with a coil of white plastic around the trunk, that
covered about 12 inches of trunk. I left it on and the dear ate from
the part above the plastic. I have another coil from another tree
that died, so I put that on now, covering 2 feet of trunk, all of the
trunk below the first limb,

Do you think that is enough to stop the deer, or will it push the
plastic aside, or eat from trunk above the limb (which might be harder
to get at.) ?????

OTOH, God didn't make trees with plastic covers. Will the tree be
missing out on something if I leave that cover on for years to come?????


Is it possible the bark will grow back??

Thanks.


Sounds like a rabbit problem to me and enough trunk wrap would have
prevented it. Rabbits will gnaw around a tree eating its bark when that
is all they can get when ground is covered with snow. Obviously they
will be gnawing low at the height of the snow line.

Deer don't chew the bark off trees but a buck would tear it up polishing
his antlers but not on a small tree. If they eat anything it might be
small tender twigs. Wrap will not protect the tree from deer and
fencing or fenced netting around the tree is required. Local park tried
to reforest a field and while trees were wrapped, only about half
survived damage by bucks.

Netting or fence should be six feet or more to keep out deer. You may
have had one in your yard but I suspect a rabbit caused your problem.

On Mon, 17 Mar 2014 08:25:43 -0400, micky
wrote:

OTOH, God didn't make trees with plastic covers. Will the tree be
missing out on something if I leave that cover on for years to come?????

Personally, I'd remove the plastic. You might be creating a haven for
disease, fungus, insects, etc.

Have you inspected the tree up close for such?

On 3/17/2014 7:25 AM, micky wrote:
....
....

... [deer] eating
the bark on the tree, about 1/4 o the circumference. Is that
enough to kill the tree?? or to kill branches that start on the same
side that the bark is gone from????

No, but it'll severely hamper its health and future growth.

....

There was no trunk knawing during the summer or fall. Is the recent
bark eating because the snow covered other food and it was looking for
something new and easy to eat that was above the snow?????

"New and easy" doesn't have anything to do with it -- unavailability of
other source owing to snow otoh is almost everything. They do what they
have to do...

Would that imply that I'm relatively safe as long as there is no snow on
the ground??

Not necessarily, though, once they've found a new source altho I don't
believe cherry are high on the list of favorite bark they may well come
back for the blooms and fruit later on.

The tree came with a coil of white plastic around the trunk, that
covered about 12 inches of trunk. I left it on and the dear ate from
the part above the plastic. I have another coil from another tree
that died, so I put that on now, covering 2 feet of trunk, all of the
trunk below the first limb,

Do you think that is enough to stop the deer, or will it push the
plastic aside, or eat from trunk above the limb (which might be harder
to get at.) ?????

Unless it's pretty easy to get loose, as you observed they'll go
elsewhere. How aggressive is wholly dependent on just how hungry
they're getting...

OTOH, God didn't make trees with plastic covers. Will the tree be
missing out on something if I leave that cover on for years to come?????

No, as long as it isn't tight.

Is it possible the bark will grow back??

_VERY_ slowly it'll heal over the wound if it doesn't get diseased or
suffer other damage. But, depending on the actual size (I gather it's
still pretty small) it could take many years.

--

On 3/17/2014 8:36 AM, Frank wrote:
On 3/17/2014 8:25 AM, micky wrote:
I hope you'll bear with me, confirm or contradict my assumptions, and
answer any questions you have answers for.

I planted a cherry tree almost a year ago, and actualy got about 20
cherries from it soon after Memorial Day. I was hoping for a lot more
this year.

This winter, we had lots of snow in Baltimore (and everywhere else , for
that matter) and for the first time I noticed what seemed like deer
tracks in the snow, though they weren't perfect (which I attributed to
melting, not to being a non-deer.) and I also saw something was eating
the bark on the tree, about 1/4 o the circumference. Is that
enough to kill the tree?? or to kill branches that start on the same
side that the bark is gone from????

I have an end-of group townhouse with a small yard, and a 46" picket
fence. I know that it's nothing for a deer, even a baby deer?, to jump
over the fence, but I've never seen one inside the fence or found deer
tracks. (I see lots a block away, but I don't even see them right
outside the fence, except a couple times in 10 years)

There was no trunk knawing during the summer or fall. Is the recent
bark eating because the snow covered other food and it was looking for
something new and easy to eat that was above the snow?????

Would that imply that I'm relatively safe as long as there is no snow on
the ground??


The tree came with a coil of white plastic around the trunk, that
covered about 12 inches of trunk. I left it on and the dear ate from
the part above the plastic. I have another coil from another tree
that died, so I put that on now, covering 2 feet of trunk, all of the
trunk below the first limb,

Do you think that is enough to stop the deer, or will it push the
plastic aside, or eat from trunk above the limb (which might be harder
to get at.) ?????

OTOH, God didn't make trees with plastic covers. Will the tree be
missing out on something if I leave that cover on for years to come?????


Is it possible the bark will grow back??

Thanks.


Sounds like a rabbit problem to me and enough trunk wrap would have
prevented it. Rabbits will gnaw around a tree eating its bark when that
is all they can get when ground is covered with snow. Obviously they
will be gnawing low at the height of the snow line.

Deer don't chew the bark off trees but a buck would tear it up polishing
his antlers but not on a small tree. If they eat anything it might be
small tender twigs. Wrap will not protect the tree from deer and
fencing or fenced netting around the tree is required. Local park tried
to reforest a field and while trees were wrapped, only about half
survived damage by bucks.

Netting or fence should be six feet or more to keep out deer. You may
have had one in your yard but I suspect a rabbit caused your problem.

I recall I uploaded this video my wife took of deer feeding in my front
yard while I was off deer hunting:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnBxKALmpPU

When deer eat evergreens they are hard up for food.
They are also eating the ivy under the bushes.
Some people hate ivy because it is evasive.
At my house it is tough to grow anywhere but right next to the house.

On 3/17/2014 12:59 PM, dpb wrote:
On 3/17/2014 7:25 AM, micky wrote:
...
...

... [deer] eating
the bark on the tree, about 1/4 o the circumference. Is that
enough to kill the tree?? or to kill branches that start on the same
side that the bark is gone from????

No, but it'll severely hamper its health and future growth.

...

There was no trunk knawing during the summer or fall. Is the recent
bark eating because the snow covered other food and it was looking for
something new and easy to eat that was above the snow?????

"New and easy" doesn't have anything to do with it -- unavailability of
other source owing to snow otoh is almost everything. They do what they
have to do...

Would that imply that I'm relatively safe as long as there is no snow on
the ground??

Not necessarily, though, once they've found a new source altho I don't
believe cherry are high on the list of favorite bark they may well come
back for the blooms and fruit later on.

The tree came with a coil of white plastic around the trunk, that
covered about 12 inches of trunk. I left it on and the dear ate from
the part above the plastic. I have another coil from another tree
that died, so I put that on now, covering 2 feet of trunk, all of the
trunk below the first limb,

Do you think that is enough to stop the deer, or will it push the
plastic aside, or eat from trunk above the limb (which might be harder
to get at.) ?????

Unless it's pretty easy to get loose, as you observed they'll go
elsewhere. How aggressive is wholly dependent on just how hungry
they're getting...

OTOH, God didn't make trees with plastic covers. Will the tree be
missing out on something if I leave that cover on for years to come?????

No, as long as it isn't tight.

Is it possible the bark will grow back??

_VERY_ slowly it'll heal over the wound if it doesn't get diseased or
suffer other damage. But, depending on the actual size (I gather it's
still pretty small) it could take many years.

--

I had planted an almond that rabbits girdled. Thought it was dead but a
branch grew out of the base and all I got were some crumby peaches as
apparently it had been grafted onto peach stock.

On 3/17/2014 8:25 AM, micky wrote:
I hope you'll bear with me, confirm or contradict my assumptions, and
answer any questions you have answers for.

I planted a cherry tree almost a year ago, and actualy got about 20
cherries from it soon after Memorial Day. I was hoping for a lot more
this year.

This winter, we had lots of snow in Baltimore (and everywhere else , for
that matter) and for the first time I noticed what seemed like deer
tracks in the snow, though they weren't perfect (which I attributed to
melting, not to being a non-deer.) and I also saw something was eating
the bark on the tree, about 1/4 o the circumference. Is that
enough to kill the tree?? or to kill branches that start on the same
side that the bark is gone from????

I have an end-of group townhouse with a small yard, and a 46" picket
fence. I know that it's nothing for a deer, even a baby deer?, to jump
over the fence, but I've never seen one inside the fence or found deer
tracks. (I see lots a block away, but I don't even see them right
outside the fence, except a couple times in 10 years)

There was no trunk knawing during the summer or fall. Is the recent
bark eating because the snow covered other food and it was looking for
something new and easy to eat that was above the snow?????

Would that imply that I'm relatively safe as long as there is no snow on
the ground??


The tree came with a coil of white plastic around the trunk, that
covered about 12 inches of trunk. I left it on and the dear ate from
the part above the plastic. I have another coil from another tree
that died, so I put that on now, covering 2 feet of trunk, all of the
trunk below the first limb,

Do you think that is enough to stop the deer, or will it push the
plastic aside, or eat from trunk above the limb (which might be harder
to get at.) ?????

OTOH, God didn't make trees with plastic covers. Will the tree be
missing out on something if I leave that cover on for years to come?????


Is it possible the bark will grow back??

Thanks.


I have two red maples with bark damage that occurred before we bought
the house a year ago and they appear to be healing. 1/4 of the
circumference might heal, and it may depend how deeply it was gnawed.
Most of the advice I've read about newly planted trees is to wrap them
for winter, after the first frost (to keep from wrapping bugs in), and
unwrap in the spring. Wouldn't hurt to mulch them, too, to insulate.
Most winter damage to hardy young trees is from repeat freeze/thaw or
from very cold, windy weather. That said, I would watch the damaged
area for bugs...if it loses sap, expect it to attract ants. I don't
think ants will hurt it, and they be naturally attracted to the tree.

I have a pair of rabbits that have set up housekeeping under my shed;
gonna try to trap and deport them. The one critter I WANTED to stay in
my yard, a big bullfrog that moved into the pond last spring, didn't
make it. Saw stuff that looked like eggs floating on the pond the other
day when the ice was gone...we'll see )

You should be able to contact an extension agent near you for advice
about your area; photos would be a big help.

Here is a link to Purdue U. info about trees (they have loads and loads
of good info):
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/ho-100.pdf

Be sure to check out the links at the bottom of the document.

My brother-in-law is going to give us a fig tree. He buries his every
winter by digging around half the root ball, tipping it over, laying it
in a trench and then burying. I hope to keep ours going by covering and
mulching....too old for that much digging ever spring and fall )