With the early and deep snows, I was afraid it would be a bad year for such damage. Voles don't like the heavy soil I have here, though at the new place they are certain to be a pest, the soil there is light and sandy. When the snow finally does disappear, I am sure to be seeing some mouse damage amoung my perennials, shrubs and raspberries etc. I usually keep some bait stations filled, but with the deep snow I had seldom gotten around to refilling them.

Terry

When the snow was melting last week, for the first time ever, I saw "trails" through the snow. Today I found a tunnel in the grass, just at the edge of a flower bed. And I've got a bit of damage to my saskatoon bushes, but I think they're still OK. Interestingly, they have, just in the last couple of days, attacked some perennials. They chewed the leaves right off at the base of the plant. I haven't checked my cherry trees yet. Terry, the honeyberries seem to be OK.

I'm thinking that I have some pocket gophers around again. The paths in the snow indicated a fairly long tail. I guess I'll have to let Tabby out for a bit longer and also put up with all of the neighbours' cats for awhile.

Shauna

Shauna, good to hear your honeyberries have not been chewed up by any creatures. I'm almost afraid of what damage I'll find when the snow finally melts, if it ever does that is!

Terry

The main problem in my area are jackrabbits. Last year they girdled every tree on a nearby block.

It didn't help that there was a lady that kept feeding them with carrots.

I haven't checked my trees carefully yet. One year the mice/voles/pocket gophers - whatever - took out most of a Nanking cherry hedge. They tunneled through the snow and girdled the big branches
Connie

Thank you all!
Just a reminder,...if the plant, tree or whatever has been eaten all the way around, it is probably toast!
I have one tree like that but....I'm not totally sure if the bark was eaten all the way down to the wood???
So I brushed it wit Dr. Farwell seal & heal and see what happens later on. Early is better, to keep the moisture in!
By the way, I find Dr. Farwell stuff works like miracle!! I urge you to get some if you are pruning fruit tree branches heavier then your thumb, then it's good to put some on because this stuff is healing over sooo.....nicely! I use it also on grafts.

Here is a example.....
They come in different colors, mostly it's gray, when I checked a few years back, I could only buy it at
Mill Creek Nursery in all of Edmonton!!

{{gwi:85347}}

Konrad, I will have to stop by at Mill Creek Nursery and pick myself up some of that Dr. Farwell's seal and heal. It'll definitely be helpful with my grafting and budding! Thanks for the suggestion!

You welcome Terry!

This is how it looks after two seasons.

{{gwi:85348}}

Konrad