I recently planted 80 bare root ash trees in a field near my home. When I was looking at them the other day I noticed that the stem (or trunk) of some of them have being chewed half way up. They look like they were cut at a 45 degree angle by secateurs. I presume that it is rabbits that causing this problem, so I was wondering how I might be able to deter the rabbits from going near them? Is there a natural spray that I could put on them?
1 Answers
Presuming there were no sheep in the field, this could be rabbit damage, or damge by deer. Usually it is possible to tell by looking for tracks or droppings.
Tree rings will deter rabbits but deer can often nip off shoots above the tree ring.
Chemical deterrents are of limited value as they do not last very long.