Clematis attack - any thoughts?

14 years ago

I've lived in our present home for 25 years and have grown clematis for 24. This year for the 1st time, something is cutting the clematis stems 2-4" above the soil and driving me bananas. I just found another victim this afternoon.

Mind you, nothing is eaten - just a dismembered stem, all leaves attached. It looks almost as if someone took a razor and sliced the stem from the base, and all/most seem to be at a slight angle. I'm guessing it's a rabbit, but WHY? I'm stumped! Nothing else in the garden is touched, save for my phlox, which the woodchuck got to before I could protect this spring.

So far, numerous stems of 'Duchess of Albany' have been cut, as well as an unknown variety (recently transplanted because it wasn't happy where it had been for years, and tag lost), 'Mme Julia Correvon' - twice!, 'Nelly Moser' and a few others.

Any thoughts?

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Comments (6)

mnwsgal
14 years ago
Sounds like rabbit damage. I had tthat happen to me along the fence and was frustrated to see long stems with buds die only to find them cut off below. After spraying with Liquid fence I didn't have any more problems. Only had to spray the one year, no damage since.
mnwsgal
14 years ago
Sounds like rabbit damage. I had tthat happen to me along the fence and was frustrated to see long stems with buds die only to find them cut off below. After spraying with Liquid fence I didn't have any more problems. Only had to spray the one year, no damage since.
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dlbk
Original Author
14 years ago
I'll spray tomorrow. For now, I laid now a thick layer of mulch 16" out from all stems, them sprinkled Irish Spring that I pulverized to quarter & dime sized pieces around every plant. Hated to do it.
I hate the smell of Irish Spring!
User
14 years ago
Just curious..what would the Irish Spring do? and I'm really sorry about your clematis. That would be really disheartening to say the least. Best of luck with it.
dlbk
Original Author
14 years ago
I've never tried Irish Spring before, but have heard over the years it's a deterrent due to it's strong scent. I've read where you can hang bars of soap off tree branches for instance, to keep deer away and figured rabbits wouldn't like it either. I left an extra cupful at the entrance to the woodchuck's abode and will be interested to see what happens there. I need a couple Terriers.
Marlene Schmidt
14 years ago
RABBITS!!! We have green-coated chicken wire around all clems but they managed to burrow under and cut some off this year. First time we lost any, the rabbits are the worst ever this year! Marlene