Originally posted – November 29, 2020, Updated – March 15, 2021
In order to prevent damage by rabbits, I placed wire fencing around certain shrubs. I did this a few weeks back when I started to see some damage.
Wire fencing was placed around these plants based upon which were damaged last year.
- American Beautyberry
- Arrowwood Viburnum
- Viburnum nudum
- Black Chokeberry, Iriquiois (this seems to be the preferred shrub of choice for the rabbits)
- Red Chokeberry
I have also continued to be diligent in weeding, especially with the warmer weather (40s, low 50s) we have. Still seeing a lot of grass shoots coming up. It is amazing how much root structure can form in such a short time. Would hate to let that become too established.
Update 3/15/21 – Replaced some of the fences with higher cage wire (24 inches) for the taller shrubs. The height of the cage wire was either 12 inches or 18 inches. I noticed that some of the branches were torn off, so the rabbits were standing on the hind legs and pulling the off branches that were above the top of the cage wire.
In the past I had cut the height of the 24 inch cage wire in order to get more fences out of a roll. But after seeing the early damage this late winter, I purchased two rolls of wire (24 inches X 15ft) and cut it in 45 inch segments to yield 4 circular fences that are 24 inches high and 14 inches in diameter.
These higher circular fences were put around the chokeberry and the arrowwood viburnum shrubs.
Pennsylvania Native Garden Journey 