forgot to ask if this will cause damage (serious or otherwise) to the plant?

thanks

how big is it ..how much removed as a per cent ...

have the lower limbs been eaten.. or just the leaves ... ???

how about a pic ...

you havent given us too much to go on .. ken

The tree is small 3 gallons pot - just planted it 10 days ago. It appears that the leaves have only been eaten but I will check again this evening when I am home. As a percent I'd say as of last eve 10 to 15% of the total foliage was eaten and the bottom half of the it is bare now. I will take a pic and post later this evening.

Thanks!

10 to 15% of the total foliage

==>>> i doubt the tree will die from this alone ... and wouldnt be surprised if it didnt releaf ... i would not call this serious damage ... heck i have broken more than that off trees planting trees.. lol ...

assuming of course.. you keep the little devil away from it ...

still want to see the pic

ken

going to get chicken wire today... the area is overrun with bunnies...the pellet gun would help too...

a rabbit is a pellet gun.. but they shoot out the wrong end ... ken

I think it's more than 15%... more like 30 to 40%.. the entire right side has been eaten... branches have be nipped off...

so, is it going to make it?

That rabbit damage won't kill it, but it looks to be planted too deep. If you don't have dogs, sprinkle some dried blood/blood meal around it to keep the fur rats away.

tj

too deep? Pretty sure I planted it more or less at the soil level of the pot I pulled it out of... It's seems to be growing already.. some small younf shoots appearing from the top.. mind you it's only been in the ground about 18 or 20 days or so...

thanks for the blood meal tip. didn't know that worked! Better than an ugly chicken cage!

I think tsugajunkie made a great catch - lift the tree and plant only to the level of the soil that was in the pot. Planting too deep will kill more effectively than the rabbits.

If you're having weather like we are, be aware that the blood meal will wash away/weaken over time, so that chicken wire would be a great addition to protect the tree.

Do love my Serviceberry - hope you enjoy yours and hope you don't intend to harvest any berries if the birds find it! :)

Ging

so u folks thin it's really too deep? ok will dig it out and raise it

thanks

Definitely too deep. Fence out rabbits etc. - esp. deer - or you will have a constant struggle of indefinite duration. Out as in the entire area being gardened. Why expend the effort, money and time to plant up your place and then go "help yourselves!" to any free roaming animals that happen to be around?

Just curious - what happens to plants/trees that are planted too deep? Do they eventually die?

Usually, yes, the plant will die. Sometimes it can take years of slow decline, but that would be the end result. It's rare that the soil in a typical home or business is optimal for plants or trees. When the plant is set too deep the roots can't get enough oxygen. Oxygen is critical to the root system and without it the plant basically suffocates (though that's a bit simplistic). You can also invite rot/fungus/disease in the bark/stems/trunks that are covered in soil or mulch. That's why so many people advise against 'volcano mulching' where the mulch is piled high against the base of the plant/tree. As Bill said earlier, planting according to the root flare is best, but with a very young tree it's a bit harder to see sometimes.

well i am very glad you folks pointed this out to me from an unrelated topic

I just planted a 3 ft Japanese tree lilac that came in a 3 gal pot from a local nursery. The planting media was a bark based compost mixture that basically fell apart, exposing the entire root system, when I tried to get it out of the pot. These types of plants are root pruned and potted for commercial sale. They basically dig the tree, place it in a half filled pot and put more dirt on top, before it goes on the truck.

There's no real science to how this is done. Mine had at least 2" of extra potting media on top of what would have been the correct planting depth in the pot.

It was actually nice that the media was so loose of material. It allowed me to bare root the tree and do some untangling of the roots before planting in my native soil (at the correct depth). :-)

Now I am worried I did this to other plants! So as a rule of thumb is it better to have the roots slightly above the soil or at the exact same level?

:) Don't fret too much - if you have a plant you really are crazy about and think you piled on the mulch/soil when you planted to an unhealthy depth you can keep an eye on it. If it seems to be having trouble, not thriving, showing signs of disease or die-off, then you could think about trying to lift it. In 'most' cases (please don't kill me people - this is a generalization) the danger is when around a couple of inches are added on top. That being said, there are plants that won't tolerate much of any addition, i.e. azaleas. So, research any plant you're truly worried about and think about how you normally plant. You may not have reason to be very worried.

It is not primarily suffocating roots that is the issue of planting too deep. The cells above the root flare are not meant to be underground and can rot over time and girdle the trunk.

tj

would this apply to perennials too

I see your post was written pretty long time ago, but I can give you some advice. If you`re concerned about spoiled serviceberry plantings, then yes - rabbits really love these berries, and if you don't make a special fence (оr try planting it at home in pots), you won't see the berries at all=) I have rabbits living with me and I give them a little bit of these pet treat, so they love not only the serviceberry itself, but the leaves as well. Keep that in mind! I`d also advise you to read can rabbits eat tomatoes as I guess you have vegetable garden and usually rabbits raid not only berries but many vegetables too.