Those wretched, insidious creatures girdled my two best jujube trees last night. Upon closer examination, I found a tunnel leading right up to one of the affected trees (second photo), hence my vole diagnosis.
Does anyone have suggestions for repelling voles?
Short of a physical barrier rounded (pea) gravel surrounding the trunk out and to a depth of several inches
I put up some rabbit fences around my surviving jujus, and sprinkled “repels-all” around them.
I didn’t know about pea gravel! Thanks!!
All the pest control websites recommend removing mulch from around the trees, but I REALLY don’t want to do that. I’m much more comfortable with replacing mulch closest to the trees with gravel.
I’m also looking into adopting some barn cats.
As long as you go in knowing that’s the ecological equivalent of a nuclear bomb. A near infinite slaughter of every small mammal and bird within a huge radius around your place and I’m barely exaggerating for humorous effect
There are already a ton of feral cats in my neighborhood. They just avoid my property because my dog chases them.
Plant onions next to the trunks. Since I’ve done it with all of my trees they leave them alone now.
garlic is even better.
wire hardware wrapped around each trunk and the safety edge removed (cut) so that the sharpies/jagged points… point downward…
some people go even higher for other critter protection.
Now that I read of Mrs. Hackman and Hantavirus, I don’t like thinking of rodent infestations on my food plants. 
I would declare war and plant alliums everywhere. The cats visit my garden but I don’t want them either as they leave their droppings and I don’t want Toxoplasmosis!
There are already a couple of garlic bulbs growing near the trunks of both trees. Two bulbs probably isn’t nearly enough, but I hesitate to add more because ants are my primary jujube pollinators, and I don’t want the ants to avoid those trees.
looks like I’m taking a trip to the hardware store tomorrow!
I have been meaning to grow perennial onions, but I’m afraid that their presence will deter the ants that pollinate my jujus.
Wow,
The voles do go after hard wood. Chicken wire cover all the way to the ground level.
Tony
