Q. I planted a couple of fruit trees and a visitor started
chewing on it a bit, possibly a baby rabbit.
What should I treat it with or should I just paint it now with whitewash
such as a 50/50 mixture of latex paint and water? I read this mixture stops
rabbits from chewing on them.
chewing on it a bit, possibly a baby rabbit.
What should I treat it with or should I just paint it now with whitewash
such as a 50/50 mixture of latex paint and water? I read this mixture stops
rabbits from chewing on them.
A. I would strongly suggest you protect these trees from rabbits
by putting a 2 foot tall cylinder of 1 inch hexagonal chicken wire around the
outside of the tree. This excludes rabbits from chewing on the trunks.
by putting a 2 foot tall cylinder of 1 inch hexagonal chicken wire around the
outside of the tree. This excludes rabbits from chewing on the trunks.
 |
| A cylinder of 1 inch hexagon all chicken wire surrounding a new fruit tree to protect it from rabbit damage |
Once the trunks get about 3
inches in diameter rabbits will no longer bother them and it can be removed. Be
sure to bury the bottom edge of this cylinder one or 2 inches into the soil.
inches in diameter rabbits will no longer bother them and it can be removed. Be
sure to bury the bottom edge of this cylinder one or 2 inches into the soil.
I don’t know if whitewash will
prevent rabbit damage. The major reason for applying whitewash is to help
prevent sunburn to the trunk and limbs of young, and even older fruit trees
susceptible to sunburn. Fruit trees particularly susceptible are peach and
nectarine.
prevent rabbit damage. The major reason for applying whitewash is to help
prevent sunburn to the trunk and limbs of young, and even older fruit trees
susceptible to sunburn. Fruit trees particularly susceptible are peach and
nectarine.
 |
| Whitewashing the trunk and large limbs of an older fruit tree |
Whitewash years ago was made from a mixture of
lime and water. Now most commercial whitewash is made from diluted white latex
paint. I recently purchased some commercial, ready to use whitewash and I still
found it needed more diluting with water.
lime and water. Now most commercial whitewash is made from diluted white latex
paint. I recently purchased some commercial, ready to use whitewash and I still
found it needed more diluting with water.
You want a mixture of water and
latex paint that changes the color of the bark from brown to a very light color.
This better reflects sunlight and reduces damage from sunburn.
latex paint that changes the color of the bark from brown to a very light color.
This better reflects sunlight and reduces damage from sunburn.
I have never heard of it used to
deter rabbits so in my opinion it is strictly folklore unless it can be
validated by others. There is a lot of anecdotal information floating around
out there that is not very accurate but simply passed on without any proof.
deter rabbits so in my opinion it is strictly folklore unless it can be
validated by others. There is a lot of anecdotal information floating around
out there that is not very accurate but simply passed on without any proof.