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Garden Pests - AnimalsBark damaged by rabbit
Birds eating blossoms
Cats in my garden
Dogs damaging new tree
Gophers and moles
Gopher problem
Pet urine burns lawn
Rabbit damage control
Rabbits eating bark
Rock Squirrel
Bark damaged by rabbit 12-00
Q. Our children's pet rabbit chewed off all the bark down to the white under-wood of a 1-1/2 inch diameter new dwarf pear tree planted last spring. It is damaged from about the 2nd inch off the ground for about 12 inches. Is this the end for this tree? Can we save it? Also, is rabbit manure a good soil conditioner? OR, should we have rabbit stew some evening?
A. The vertical extent of the injury that you described is not as critical as the extent of the damage to the circumference of the tree. If the bark was removed from 1/3 or more of the trunk of this young tree, the wisest approach is to replace the tree. At 1/3 girdling, it might survive, but it will be significantly injured and slow to recover. A new tree will do a better job. Even with extensive girdling injury, bridge grafting can be used to repair the injury. In this type of grafting, a twig from the same tree is grafted into the healthy bark below and also above the injury. There are several considerations, such a polarity of the twig (up must remain up) that must be considered. If you wish to try bridge grafting, go to the library or book store and look for a book on grafting that discusses repair grafting.
If the injury was to less than 1/3 of the circumference of the trunk, the tree should be able to close the wound and grow fairly normally. It will be important for you to provide adequate moisture (not too much) during the growing season to allow wound closure. Now, an interesting fact about trees: wounds do not heal, they close. The damage will remain through the life of the tree. The cambium and bark will close over the wounded portion of the trunk and the tree will attempt to "wall-off" or partition the injury. If the tree succeeds in partitioning the wound, the tree should be able to grow fairly normally. If the partitioning of the wounded area fails, rot organisms will spread through the trunk. This may result in death or delayed failure of the trunk. In the case of delayed trunk failure, the tree may blow over many years after it appeared that the wound had "healed."
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Rabbits eating bark 6-03
Q. I am concerned about my trees because the bark on them is being eaten by rabbits, and I was wondering if you could please tell me how I could fix the bark. I am not sure what kinds of trees they are, but the rabbits seem to love them. The bark has been eaten about 2 feet up.
A. If the rabbits have completely or almost completely girdled the bark from the tree, it may be much easier and cheaper to replace the trees. If there are only patches of damaged bark, you can try "bridge grafting."
A bridge graft is what the name says. It is a twig or small branch cut from the branches of the tree (if there are any healthy branches left) and grafted across the wounded area of the bark. You should be able to find illustrations of bridge grafting in books on plant propagation in your local library or bookstore. Looking at pictures in these books will clearly show you how to do this.
Things to keep in mind:
1) The twigs should be oriented so that up is up, even after the twigs are grafted into the wounded area. If you invert the twigs, the graft will not grow properly.
2) It is important to keep the graft from drying, so wax or plastic graft ties are needed to help hold in moisture.
3) Our intense southwestern sunlight can inhibit graft success. Covering the grafted area with white plastic or aluminum foil to reflect sunlight may be helpful.
Rabbits like to eat bark from trees, especially in the winter or when there is little other food for them. Loosely wrapping chicken wire or hardware cloth around the trunk of the tree as high as the rabbits can reach should help prevent this problem in the future. Don't let the wire become tightly wrapped around the tree as it grows; loosen the wire as the tree grows.
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Birds eating blossoms 3-02
Q. Last year the birds ate every blossom on our pear tree. The blossoms are ready to burst into bloom. What can I do to save them this year?
A. It is frustrating when birds damage the fruit on our trees, but especially frustrating when they eat the flowers long before they become fruit. However, the same tactics used to protect fruit may be employed to protect the flowers. The degree of success is often variable - sometimes good, sometimes a failure.
One of the most common techniques for protecting fruit (and flowers) is to use netting to keep the birds away. Of course, the birds will reach through the netting and eat some flowers, but flowers further in the tree should be protected. When using netting, it is important to extend the netting to the ground and anchor it well or tie it loosely around the trunk. If there are gaps, the birds will often get in and once trapped inside, they will do even greater damage.
Another, sometimes successful, strategy is the use of "fright." Many types of birds are easily startled and avoid places and conditions which are startling. That is the reason for the old "pie pan" technique. Aluminum pie pans tied to branches in the tree will twist and swing in the breeze. As they move, they will flash light in different directions. Flashing light will often discourage birds from approaching. At night this is less effective, but most birds are less active at night. The sound made by aluminum pie pans as they swing around and bump into branches is also a deterrent to birds. Unfortunately, it may be a deterrent to your peaceful sleep at night.
If so, a similar technique involves wrapping the tree with monofilament fishing line in the same manner that you would wrap strands of garland around a Christmas tree. The line should be strung in bands about a foot apart. As a bird flies toward a tree, it enters a zone in which the monofilament line has reflected or refracted light, then passing through that zone the light disappears. To the birds it seems like there has been a flash of light in the tree. Many birds will turn away at that time. Another variation is to hang one-to-two-inch strips of aluminum foil from the branches. The foil will not make as much noise as the pie pans but will spin and swing in the wind, creating flashes of light. The strips of foil are easier for you to see and remove at a later date than the fishing line.
Please remember that the birds are generally beneficial, just a nuisance when competing with us for fruit (in the flower or fruit stage). It is illegal to harm many song birds which may be the culprits so use discouragement techniques, don't harm the birds. You might also try creating a diversion by putting water and birdseed in another part of the landscape to attract the birds away from the pear tree. Of course, that may just invite even more birds into the vicinity of the pear tree and can work against you. Try it, however; it may be enough to reduce the damage to a tolerable level.
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Cat problem in the garden
Q. I live in a neighborhood with many cats, and we do not have any cats in our home. Guess what the neighborhood cats do in my yard? What can I do to eliminate the smell left behind and what can I do to keep them away? I have tried moth balls, pine chips, and several commercial products. I love gardening but really become frustrated by the "mess" and the odor that they leave behind.
A. Neighbor cats can be a nuisance in the garden. According to Byron Wright, Agriculture Specialist with New Mexico State University Extension Animal Resources, sometimes trapping is the only solution, especially when the problem is due to a male cat marking territory by building piles of feces in the same area. However, it is best to speak to the neighbor before beginning trapping. Cats are very difficult for your neighbor to force to stay home; they are not easily controlled by fencing.
I have heard negative reports about many techniques and products intended to discourage cats, but two methods have received more positive reports. First, there is the possibility of redirecting the cats. According to Byron Wright, this will probably not be effective in preventing male cats from marking their territory but may help somewhat in the case of young male cats and females who randomly select their sites to defecate. Catmint or catnip growing in a remote part of your landscape may help. Provide a sandy area nearby. If this area is in an unused corner of your property, the problem may be reduced to a tolerable level. A second suggestion, which may be used in conjunction with the first, is to make the area where the cats are causing a problem unpleasant to them. The cats find bare soil areas attractive as their bathroom. It is the bare, loose soil which is easy for them to scratch in that attracts them. In some cases a covering of coarse, heavy mulch material such as rock may deter the cat from scratching in that location. Byron suggested that bark mulch may be attractive to cats because it is easy to move aside to reach the soil or may just be used to cover the feces. However, the coarse rock may be helpful as Byron stated that even large cats such as mountain lions choose clear, sandy locations in arroyos rather than the rock sites.
Some gardeners have told me that the most effective deterrent is chicken wire covering the area where the cats are inclined to defecate. The wire discourages the digging and scratching which is part of feline behavior. The chicken wire must cover any area with clear, loose soil. It may be removed from that area permanently if the plants growing there do not develop thick stems which would be girdled by the wire. The chicken wire may be removed once the plants begin growing if the plants form a dense cover over the soil. If the cats have moved to a new area because of the chicken wire, they may not return. If the chicken wire cannot remain and the vegetation cover is not dense enough to discourage the cats, a coarse mulch may be used as the plants begin growing. It is the bare soil which is usually attractive to the cats.
The combination of chicken wire and attracting them to an unused area of the landscape, may be the most effective means of solving, or at least reducing, your problem without creating animosity with the neighbors. However, in some cases, especially the problem of tom cats marking territorial sites, trapping may be necessary. Try talking to the neighbor first. They may be frustrated because they know that their cats are hard to keep confined, but it is best to talk to them first and return the cat to the owner after trapping it. In the case of stray cats, trapping and taking them to a local animal shelter may be the only solution.
This is a difficult problem with both gardening and good neighbor considerations. I hope to hear from gardeners who have found other, successful, methods of solving this problem.
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Dogs damaging new tree 5-02
Q. I am hoping you could help us with a question we have about our newly planted Chinese Elm Tree. Our tree does not seem to be growing. All of the neighbors dogs have designated our tree as the spot to "mark" their territory. Do you think this could have anything to do with our tree dying? Is there anything we can do to save it?
A. It is possible that the dogs are doing some damage. A handful of gypsum sprinkled around the base of the tree may help neutralize any salts still present. A small fence around the tree to keep the dogs at a distance (1 to 2 feet) will help. You might also give them another place to "mark" (a dead stick placed into the ground).
Water well to dilute the urine and then subsequently water to keep the soil slightly moist. Because of the limited root system, the newly planted tree will usually be slower growing than other trees. Transplanting often damages some roots, and a transplanted tree has a much-reduced root system. The limited root system is not able to supply sufficient water to the tree. This will be especially true for those of us suffering from drought (less precipitation than the usual too little). The water will be critical to getting the tree growing, so extra care is needed to see that the tree receives sufficient moisture for the first couple of years.
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Gophers coming out my ears!
Q. I have gophers coming out my ears. Is there an answer to the problem or must I move?
A. Gophers can be a major problem once they move into the neighborhood. It is a sad fact, but there are really no humane and effective solutions of which I am aware. Often people who are reluctant to kill things find that gophers can push even them over the edge. Okay, so how do you kill a gopher? My preference is trapping; others prefer the poison baits or like to use the poison gas cartridges. Preferences are based on which method has been successful for the person with a preference. Have you called your local USDA Animal Damage Control office? The professionals there can give you good advice as to how to most effectively reduce gopher problems in your area. They may also be able to help you obtain the traps or control chemicals you need.
There are several ways to effectively use the traps. The method I prefer uses two traps placed in the main tunnel. To find the tunnel, probe the soil with a metal rod one to one and one-half feet from the flat side of a fresh soil mound made by the gopher. It is surprising how easy it is to determine when you have found the tunnel. Dig a hole to intersect with the gopher's tunnel. Place the trap into each tunnel exiting the hole you dug. Use wire to stake the trap outside your pit. Then cover the hole you dug with cardboard or plywood to exclude excess fresh air and light. Gophers don't like fresh air and sunlight and will come to investigate what is going on. When they do, they will have an encounter with one of your traps, depending on which direction they are coming from. That is why you need two traps. If there is too much fresh air and light, the gopher will be pushing soil to close the opening. In that case you will catch a bunch of dirt and no gopher.
Some people are successful using one trap in the side tunnel which runs from the main tunnel to the soil mound. However, unless you do it just right, you will catch dirt. Baits and gas cartridges should be placed in the main tunnel which you find in the same manner as described before. Baits are not always effective if there is plenty of other food for the gophers. Gas cartridges may not be successful, especially in dry, cracked clay soils or sandy soils which let the gases escape from the tunnels. They can tunnel quite deeply, so buried fencing is of very little use. It may interfere with their invasion enough to give you time to use other control measures before they can do too much damage, but it will not stop the gophers.
Moving, as you suggested, may be only a temporary solution. Gophers are problems all over New Mexico and some other states also have problems with moles. As we develop our beautiful home landscapes, we create an environment which invites the gophers to come visit us.
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Gophers or moles in NM?
Q. My husband and I recently purchased our first home just east of Tijeras. It has a beautiful yard and plenty of gardening space. Our problem is gophers and how to get rid of them. Also, how do you tell the difference between gophers and moles? Do we have moles in New Mexico? Which do the worst damage? I bought a gopher trap, but I would like to know if there is a way to tell how many gophers could be in our yard.
A. Problems with gophers are common in New Mexico, but according to the wildlife experts, moles do not inhabit New Mexico. Moles eat underground insects and only cause problems by their tunnels and soil disruption. Gophers, on the other hand, eat plant roots and other underground parts of plant. They do significant damage to our fruit and landscape plants. Regarding the number of gophers causing your problem, it is probably fewer than you think. Gophers do not like other gophers and will fight to the death if there is an invader in the tunnels. I have been told that only six to eight gophers can inhabit a single acre. It just looks like there are more there. To determine how many you have, rake down the gopher mounds in the late afternoon. The next day, count the number of clusters of new mounds that appear (not the number of new mounds).
This number is an estimate of how many gophers are causing your problems. The mounds should be in separate groupings because the gophers don't want to encounter the other gophers. Trapping is an effective means of reducing the problem of gophers once you develop skill at properly placing and setting the trap. You will need at least two traps to effectively trap the gophers. Once you dig and expose the currently active gopher tunnel, you will need to place a trap facing inward in each arm of the exposed tunnel. Then place a piece of plywood or cardboard over the hole you dug to prevent too much fresh air from entering the tunnel and warning the gopher.
There are publications to help you understand the gopher behavior and teach gopher management options available from your local Cooperative Extension Service Office. In these publications you will read in more detail the methods for trapping gophers. Once the problem seems eliminated, remain vigilant since new gophers rapidly reoccupy the tunnels that remain. If you respond rapidly, you can prevent the new gophers from causing major damage.
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Lawns and pet urine burned spots 3-01
Q. My lawn has urine spots from my two female dogs. My lawn is fescue. Is there any help?
A. There are things you can do. You may be able to reduce the severity of the problem, but you will probably not totally eliminate the problem as long as you have dogs. I won't recommend getting rid of the dogs - pets are important. First, let's consider the dogs. Give them lots of water to dilute the urine. This will help a little. However, while you can provide the water, you can probably do little to make them drink more. You should also visit with your pets' veterinarian regarding the dogs' diet. Perhaps the veterinarian can recommend something that will help alleviate the problem.
From the perspective of lawn management, there are some things you can do. If you can regularly wash down the area which the dogs prefer, you can help minimize the burning. Frequent light irrigations (in the area most used by the dogs) can also help with this. A handful of gypsum placed on the spots and watered is reputed to be helpful. The gypsum will adsorb some of the urine. Be careful not to heavily fertilize the areas that the dogs like. Fertilizer salts can increase the problem. Anything you do to maintain a healthy lawn is important. Healthy grass will better resist damage or more rapidly recover from the injury.
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Rabbit damage
Q. We are having a problem which I hope you might give us some help with. We have a new home in the boonies and are trying to landscape. However, the rabbits eat virtually anything we plant from cactus to flowers. Is there anything we can spray on the plants to discourage the rabbits? My wife is particularly concerned about her flowers which are mostly desert type. Thanks Chuck S. via internet
A. You, and many other people, have problems with rabbits causing landscape damage. I called Dr. Jon Boren, NMSU Extension Wildlife Specialist, who sent me the following information: "I often get the question 'How do I protect my garden and ornamental trees from rabbits?'. New Mexico is the home for the black-tailed jackrabbit and desert cottontail, which occur primarily in lowland and desert habitats. However, landscaped yards provide excellent rabbit habitats, accounting for the prevalence of rabbits in most suburban and urban areas. They are active year round, feeding in the spring and summer on succulent green plants. In fact, rabbits prefer green vegetation throughout the year when it is available. However, rabbits also will feed on buds, twigs, and bark of trees and shrubs, particularly during the fall and winter. For the homeowner, rabbits will occasionally eat the growing plants in gardens and landscaped yards. In winter they can destroy or injure ornamental shrubs, fruit trees, or berry bushes around the home.
Rabbit repellents are often unsatisfactory for protecting plants from rabbits, especially in the long term. However, chemical repellent may provide some temporary protection from rabbit damage to trees, shrubs, vines, or garden crops. The purpose of the repellent is to make the protected plants less desirable by treating with a material distasteful to the rabbit. There have been a considerable variety of repellents recommended in the form of paints, smears, or sprays. Care must be taken when selecting the type of repellent you may chose for garden crops because many of the repellents are not designed or recommended for use on plants grown for human consumption. In addition, many repellents offer only temporary protection and must be renewed too often to justify their use. Repellents also must be used according to label instructions.
The best insurance against rabbit damage to gardens is a tight poultry wire fence. One-inch-mesh wire 18 to 24 inches high for cottontails and 30 to 36 inches high for jackrabbits is adequate if held firmly in position by stakes. The bottom edge of the wire should be staked to the ground or buried several inches deep to prevent rabbits from burrowing under the fence. The initial cost of fencing a garden plot 25 by 50 feet is about fifteen dollars. In some gardens, this wire is still in good shape after six years. Reusable fence panels also may easily be constructed to protect gardens. These 18- to 36-inch high panels (depending if excluding jackrabbits or cottontails) exclude foraging rabbits while allowing gardeners easy access. Panel frames can be constructed with 2- by 2-inch lumber. A 1-inch mesh galvanized wire, such as poultry netting (18 to 36 inches high), is fastened to one side of the frame. Panels can be made in various lengths to match the size of the garden. Lightweight posts, such as electric fence posts, are sufficient for support. One post should be place in each corner and at each junction of the panels. They can be fastened to the posts using malleable wire.
Where large areas of uncultivated field or shrubby areas adjoin the garden, this is the only permanent solution to the rabbit problem. Tall grass, weeds, and brush near the garden also should be cut frequently to reduce the protective cover for rabbits. The use of individual protectors to guard the trunks of young trees or vines is another form of exclusion. The best are cylinders made from woven wire netting. Poultry netting of ½-inch mesh, 20 gauge strips 12 to 18 inches wide can be formed into cylinders around trees. For adequate protection, these cylinders should be braced away from the trunk to prevent rabbits from pressing them against the trees and gnawing through them. Types of tree protectors commercially available include aluminum, nylon mesh wrapping, and polypropylene plastic. Aluminum foil, even ordinary plastic wraps, also has been wrapped around the trunks of small trees with effective results.
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Those Darn Bunnies!
Q. We are having a problem which I hope you might give us some help with. We have a new home in the boonies and are trying to landscape. However, the rabbits eat virtually anything we plant from cactus to flowers. Is there anything we can spray on the plants to discourage the rabbits? My wife is particularly concerned about her flowers which are mostly desert type.
A. You, and many other people, have problems with rabbits causing landscape damage. I called Dr. Jon Boren, NMSU Extension Wildlife Specialist, who sent me the following information:
"I often get the question ‘How do I protect my garden and ornamental trees from rabbits?'. New Mexico is the home for the black-tailed jackrabbit and desert cottontail, which occur primarily in lowland and desert habitats. However, landscaped yards provide excellent rabbit habitats, accounting for the prevalence of rabbits in most suburban and urban areas. They are active year round, feeding in the spring and summer on succulent green plants. In fact, rabbits prefer green vegetation throughout the year when it is available. However, rabbits also will feed on buds, twigs, and bark of trees and shrubs, particularly during the fall and winter. For the homeowner, rabbits will occasionally eat the growing plants in gardens and landscaped yards. In winter they can destroy or injure ornamental shrubs, fruit trees, or berry bushes around the home.
"Rabbit repellents are often unsatisfactory for protecting plants from rabbits, especially in the long term. However, chemical repellent may provide some temporary protection from rabbit damage to trees, shrubs, vines, or garden crops. The purpose of the repellent is to make the protected plants less desirable by treating with a material distasteful to the rabbit. There have been a considerable variety of repellents recommended in the form of paints, smears, or sprays. Care must be taken when selecting the type of repellent you may chose for garden crops because many of the repellents are not designed or recommended for use on plants grown for human consumption. In addition, many repellents offer only temporary protection and must be renewed too often to justify their use. Repellents also must be used according to label instructions. "The best insurance against rabbit damage to gardens is a tight poultry wire fence. One-inch-mesh wire 18 to 24 inches high for cottontails and 30 to 36 inches high for jackrabbits is adequate if held firmly in position by stakes. The bottom edge of the wire should be staked to the ground or buried several inches deep to prevent rabbits from burrowing under the fence. The initial cost of fencing a garden plot 25 by 50 feet is about fifteen dollars. In some gardens, this wire is still in good shape after six years.
Reusable fence panels also may easily be constructed to protect gardens. These 18- to 36-inch high panels (depending if excluding jackrabbits or cottontails) exclude foraging rabbits while allowing gardeners easy access. Panel frames can be constructed with 2- by 2-inch lumber. A 1-inch mesh galvanized wire, such as poultry netting (18 to 36 inches high), is fastened to one side of the frame. Panels can be made in various lengths to match the size of the garden. Lightweight posts, such as electric fence posts, are sufficient for support. One post should be place in each corner and at each junction of the panels. They can be fastened to the posts using malleable wire.
"Where large areas of uncultivated field or shrubby areas adjoin the garden, this is the only permanent solution to the rabbit problem. Tall grass, weeds, and brush near the garden also should be cut frequently to reduce the protective cover for rabbits.
"The use of individual protectors to guard the trunks of young trees or vines is another form of exclusion. The best are cylinders made from woven wire netting. Poultry netting of ½-inch mesh, 20 gauge strips 12 to 18 inches wide can be formed into cylinders around trees. For adequate protection, these cylinders should be braced away from the trunk to prevent rabbits from pressing them against the trees and gnawing through them. "Types of tree protectors commercially available include aluminum, nylon mesh wrapping, and polypropylene plastic. Aluminum foil, even ordinary plastic wraps, also has been wrapped around the trunks of small trees with effective results."
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Rock Squirrels
Q.I have a problem with a burrowing animal that looks like a large rat, both in color and shape of face. I never get to see the whole animal because it is always underground, making very visible diggings throughout the garden. I am very sure it is not a gopher. I live in Santa Fe in a house built last year. I have seen evidence of these animals all over Santa Fe, but your other articles say moles do not live in New Mexico. Can you tell me what they are? Surely they are not chupacabras?
A. A. I think it is safe to say that you don't have chupacabras in your garden. The descriptions on the internet and on television don't fit your description. (I suspect you were joking with this statement.)
To get more information, I talked to NMSU's Extension Wildlife Specialist, Jon Boren. He agreed with me that it is more likely that there is a rock squirrel in your garden. The rock squirrel is a common, ugly (compared to other squirrels), rat-like, burrowing animal that is native in your area. It is larger than a gopher and has "open burrows," whereas the gopher usually doesn't open its burrow so that you could see its head. It likes rocky areas but will invade a garage and in many ways behave like a rat. I think that is what you have seen in your garden.
There are rats in Santa Fe, but the fact that what you described was burrowing in your garden suggests that the rock squirrel is a more likely culprit.
The rock squirrel has another very bad characteristic. It is host to a flea that is an effective transmitter of bubonic plague. Don't encourage the rock squirrel to remain in your garden and don't handle the squirrel (alive or dead). If the squirrel dies, the fleas that were dependent on it will look for another warm-blooded host. You are not a favored host, but you are warm-blooded, so if you approach the dead squirrel, the fleas will sense the heat of your body. They will jump to you and if the rock squirrel was infected with plague, the fleas can transmit the disease to you. The fleas can also transmit plague to your family pets, which can then give the plague to you and your family.
I don't want to create panic with the above discussion, but I do want to encourage caution. If you do not live in an area known to have plague, there is little chance for you to become infected, but caution is still advised. If the squirrels die, and you do not know the reason (attack by pets, wild animals, poisoning, etc.), contact your county health officials rather than approach the dead squirrel yourself. They can treat the dead squirrel to kill any fleas before disposing of the carcass.
For more information contact your county Extension Agent or local Health Department. You can also get a copy of Dr. Boren's publication on rock squirrels from your County Extension Service office.
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