What did this to my pawpaw’s trunk?!?

General Fruit Growing
#1

IMG_0198

Just happened recently. :rage:
Groundhog comes to mind

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#2

how big is the trunk… beaver was my first thought.
I would put on a metal mesh wire cage. or plastic of some sort. I do that on all my trees because of rabbits and they don’t even do that… whatever it is that did this…

4 Likes
#3

Good point of clarification. About 2-3 inches diameter.
Don’t have beavers here.

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#4

Whatever it was, looks like it didn’t like the taste, so that’s good news!

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#5

Porcupine possibly or groundhog. Definitely looks like rodent teeth of some sort. I’d put a tree guard on that quickly as it may come back again.

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#6

My thought exactly!! Hahaha

#7

Thanks everyone. For about 7 years I had 2-3 foot wide chicken wire cages around each tree but removed them last fall.
Guess I didn’t know what I was missing.

Can anyone recommend specific brand tree guard?

I’ve also been procrastinating on an electric fence so if I ever get to that, I’d be ok mostly.

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#8

Thoughts on whether neem oil would deter a munching groundhog?

Found marks on 3 other trees. I still think the varmint probably sampled them at the same time and won’t try again but you never know (or I could get new visitors).