Fruit Tree Base Protection

Rodent Damage

• Mice, voles and rabbits chew on the base of the fruit tree trunk, removing the protective bark cover. Most of the activity takes place in the winter; the damage becomes apparent when the snow melts. The girdling wound leaves the tree vulnerable to insects and pathogens and bark removal can be fatal to the tree.

Trunk-Boring Insects

• Trunk-boring insects are also a threat to the base of fruit trees. Tree guards are an obstacle to rodents, but some types provide shelter for insect pests if they're not removed during the summer.

Remedies

• Tree guards come ready-made or can be assembled. Ultraviolet light can break down plastic products over time; paper also deteriorates and young bark doesn't harden well under it. Also, borers settle in behind plastic or paper tree guards. Galvanized hardware cloth or mesh is almost indestructible and doesn't provide cover for borers. Weeds and brush should be cleared away from fruit trees to minimize the cover that rodents want.