Jeff's Tips - A viable food source ~ your landscape
There's frost on the pumpkin and soon the snow will fall. We can also expect our landscapes to be a viable food source for animals trying to survive the winter months. Deer, rabbits, mice, and voles can cause a lot of damage, if we don’t take some precautions.
I’m often asked which plants are deer resistant. That list grows shorter and shorter. “Rarely damaged” or “frequently damaged” might be more appropriate labeling. Deer, if hungry enough, will be attracted to even the most undesirable plant material. I have seen evidence of browsing on spruce trees and roses!
Rabbits have become a nuisance and have taken an exceptional liking to Burning Bush and Barberry. Either they nibble at the tips of the branches often removing feet of growth or go after the bark, girdling the trunk.
If you have mole and vole activity now, by spring you will certainly see unsightly mounds of soil or shallow tunnels in bed and lawn areas. Moles rarely do serious damage, but they can dislodge plants while tunneling in search of food. On the other hand voles eat the stems and roots of plant material, can uproot perennials and will eat most ornamental plants.
For deer and rabbits various repellants on the market are organic, non toxic, and fairly easy to apply. Actually, they’re quite effective. One
application lasts for about a month. Because repellants need to be applied in temperatures in the high 40’s, it is difficult to apply at monthly intervals during our winter chill. Subsequent apps are imperative to modify the habits of these critters. Netting is very efficient, but a little more time consuming to install. Be careful not to allow foliage to protrude from the netting and use care when removing in the spring to avoid pulling off new growth or flower buds. Finally, though not the most attractive, good old fashion burlap is a good deterrent. Around mid November is the opportune time to begin these preventive measures.
Moles and voles are best dealt with in the fall or early spring when they are most active. Numerous remedies from traps to moth balls and ultrasonic devices are testimony to their menace. Unfortunately, I have found the most effective control for these guys is poison bait, applied directly to the active tunnel or hole. A good fall clean up, free of nesting materials helps steer these pests away from your yard. We are always happy to assist you to get ready for the winter months ahead.
