Protecting Fruit Trees from Rabbits and Voles Over Winter

Rabbits clip branches and gnaw bark above the snow line. Voles chew under the snow and through mulch. A quarter inch hardware cloth cylinder, buried at th...

Published by ThriveThyme

fruit trees rabbits voles winter tree guards

Protecting Fruit Trees from Rabbits and Voles Over Winter

Both pests kill young fruit trees the same way: they chew the bark all the way around the trunk. That cuts off the flow of food from the leaves to the roots, and the tree dies. Once a trunk is fully girdled there is no spray, paint, or wrap that fixes it. The only real fix is a physical barrier put up before winter feeding starts.

Put a cylinder of quarter inch hardware cloth around each trunk, bury the bottom a few inches, and run it up to at least 18 inches above your usual snow depth. That one guard handles both animals. Install it by early to mid-November and take it off in spring.

New to a fruit tree or thinking about planting one? See how to plant a bare root fruit tree.

How the Two Animals Differ

RabbitsVoles
What you seeClean, angled cuts on branch tips; bark chewed off smooth young trunksNarrow winding runways in the grass, about 1 to 2 inches wide; bark missing at or below ground level
When they feedYear round, worst in winter when food is scarceUnder snow cover and mulch, mostly unnoticed until spring
How high they reachCommonly 2 to 3 feet above the snow line (Penn State)Ground level, plus roots and buried crowns
Damage signatureGirdled trunk, clipped twigsGirdled trunk under the snow, eaten roots, chewed perennial crowns

Nebraska Extension describes vole runways as strips of closely clipped grass about 1 to 2 inches wide, with small holes leading down to tunnels. If you find those in the lawn in fall, plan on guards.

What Makes a Tree a Target

Young trees with thin, smooth bark are the ones at risk. Iowa State lists crabapple, apple, pear, redbud, honey locust, serviceberry, burning bush, flowering quince, barberry, roses, raspberries, and small evergreens, especially pines, as common rabbit targets. When food is scarce and rabbit numbers are high, almost any small tree is fair game.

Voles work all winter. Nebraska Extension notes they usually damage woody plants from late fall through early spring, tunneling through snow to reach the bark. The garden looks quiet while the damage builds.

Step 1: Remove the Cover They Like

This is the cheapest step and the one people skip.

Step 2: Build the Cylinder

Materials: quarter inch galvanized hardware cloth, tin snips, gloves, and something to fasten the seam.

  1. Cut a piece long enough to wrap the trunk with at least a 1 inch overlap at the seam.
  2. Make the diameter big enough for the trunk to grow. Do not wrap it tight against the bark.
  3. Set the cylinder so the bottom is buried 2 to 3 inches into the soil (Iowa State, Nebraska). Where pine voles are a problem, go 6 inches down.
  4. Fasten the seam with wire or zip ties so no gap opens up.
  5. Height: at least 18 inches above your normal snow depth if rabbits are around. Penn State says rabbits feed 2 to 3 feet up depending on snow, so tall snow years call for a taller guard.
Guard specNumberSource
Mesh sizeQuarter inch (0.25 in) or smallerNebraska Extension, Penn State
Height above snowAt least 18 in, up to 24 inNebraska Extension, Iowa State
Height above ground in a low snow area24 to 36 in total fenceIowa State
Bottom buried2 to 3 in, or 6 in where pine voles liveIowa State, Nebraska Extension G887
Seam overlapAt least 1 inNebraska Extension, G887
Distance from trunk1 to 2 in of clearancePenn State, Iowa State
Useful lifeAbout 5 years for galvanized clothNebraska Extension, G887

A note on height: Iowa State's fruit tree FAQ says to run the guard 10 to 12 inches above expected snow depth, while the same extension's general animal damage page says 18 to 24 inches. Penn State reports rabbit damage 2 to 3 feet up depending on snow. When the sources disagree, go with the taller number, especially if your snow drifts.

Step 3: Other Options

Repellents are the weakest tool here. Nebraska Extension calls results variable. Penn State notes that most deer repellents wash off in rain or snow, and extremely hungry deer ignore them. Use them on top of guards, not instead of them.

Step 4: Check Through Winter

Walk the trees after each heavy snow. Snow raises the feeding height for rabbits and gives voles a roof. Clear snow from around guards if it piles up above the top. Push back any mulch that has crept in against the trunk.

Step 5: Take Guards Off in Spring

This step matters. A guard left on all year can restrict growth or girdle the tree on its own (Iowa State). Remove guards in spring, typically April, once the snow is gone and the risk has passed. Store them somewhere you will find them in October.

If the Damage Is Already Done

Next Steps

Sources