rabbits eaten tree bark

[Gail-M]

Hello,

when we had 8 inches of snow lying for a couple of weeks the rabbits chewed the bark off the trunk and 2 arms of my espalier apple trees. Lots of bark missing on the surface of the branches.

does anyone know if the trees will live ? should i do anything to help/ protect them now ?

its never happened before i guess they were desperate & i've heard other people mention it but no one said what the result would be.


Thanks Gail :)

[Gail-M]

[Old bird]

Gail

is it the stem or just branches?

If it is the stem/trunk and it has eaten all the way round then it will die.  But I have sometimes repaired "wounds" on trees with duck tape.  If you wrap it round a few times to make a "seal" they sometimes do repair themself.  A bit like sticking plaster.

Good luck!

O B

[PAULW]

If the rabbits have just nibbled the bark you should be alright, if the have completely eaten the bark away all around the stem then you are in deep doo doo.

[Robert_Brenchley]

If the chewed bit is above the graft don't panic. I was getting a lot of neighbour nuisance (to put it mildly!) some years ago, and one of the things they did was break off a young apple tree. The break was just above the graft, it budded, and it's now a productive little tree.

[Gail-M]

Thanks guys - think i'll just have to wait and see..................and hope for the best

they have eaten the bark right round the main stem/trunk and the lower branches, doesn't sound good.