I've heard several members mention damage to their fig trees from mice, gophers, and rabbits; particularly for a low stepover system. I assume that the rodents are standing on the ground as they chew the branches and so only the trunk and lower branches are at risk. At what minimum height are the branches/cordons safe from rodents?

Scott

I think a motivated rat or mouse, ground squirrel or tree squirrel and a plethora of rodents can get almost any fig or branch they desire. However, some rodents seemingly prefer the heavy cover provided by low branches and confine their depredations to such areas.  I have seen gnawing scars on lower branches, and I suspect rats of taking some fig fruit (the black rat is known to enjoy fruit and climbs like a champ).  Some years rodents (cotton rats) can be abundant here, they have cyclic populations, and on some years, I see damage to various trees/plants in my yard, and other years untouched.  I have lots of rabbits in my yard, but so far, minimal damage to my plants.  Good luck, rodents certainly challenge us in many ways, competing for food especially.  Vic
Hereford, AZ.  Zone 8b

I've seen a groundhog climb a tree to eye level with me and I'm 6 feet tall. This wasn't a fig tree but still...any clawed animal will climb to get food if its hungry enough.

Scott,
during winter rodents can eat the bark off the complete fig tree top to bottom.  They easily climb to the tips of the branches. I had one case last year where they tunneled around the roots and ate those too.  They love it when a fig tree is bundled nicely for winter with some nice leaves piled up.

For 3-4 years, I grew 6 trees with stepover pruning.  I saw no bark damage until last winter, when voles stripped all the bark from the trunks and the vast majority from horizontal branches.  [I know it was voles (or similar) because only a small rodent could burrow under the protection and set up nests there.  Also, there were a million tiny teeth marks -- death by a thousand cuts.]  It seemed very evident that they ate the bark while climbing the trees; damage extended up to 2' above ground and was more extensive on the upper surface of each horizontal branch.  

I don't think the stepover form presents special risks.  A vole that completely girdles the trunk on a tall, central-leader tree will kill it just as reliably.   

Meanwhile, there had also been modest fruit loss from rodents.  My guesstimate is that the worst pests for the fruit are (in descending order) raccoons, possums, squirrels, birds (maybe especially catbirds), deer, and then small rodents (mice, chipmunks), followed by rabbits and woodchucks.  I have all of those here in abundance (but no rats, as far as I can tell).  Small rodents and rabbits tend to focus on lower fruit; the others will take it all.

FYI, I coppiced my 6 damaged in-ground trees and they are recovering; 5 of 6 are regrowing strongly.  Whatever pruning method I use, I will think more seriously in the future about protection from voles.  

p.s.  Like Mike, I have also seen a "groundhog" climb a peach tree.  It was a drought year and I think the animal was desperate for water.

Meanwhile . . . .

Does he look fattened on fig bark?

 

Joe D, I am also fighting a vole issue. BTW what did you use for bait on that trap? Thanks in advance.

Peanut butter.  It's nice and sticky, and it seems to attract both mice and voles.  And some birds.

<< The groundhogs climb my peach trees EVERY year, drought or not. >> 

Ed --

Your peaches must be tastier (or smellier) than mine.  Maybe nurseries should try to breed woodchuck-resistant trees -- "Guaranteed to not attract climbing woodchucks!"

FYI, I have two 2-year old peach trees with decent crops.  One is verging on ripe.  This is my first decent-sized crop at this location , so I shouldn't assume anything.  I may have to sit outside with my shotgun.

I have harvested groundhogs out of my apple trees, climbing for them is simply not a challenge. I have a 6" fence around my in ground pool and ond day looked out my kitchen sliders to see a ground hog perched atop a corner post 6 ft up and sunning himself!!! My only response to that would be "Goulash".....

I completely agree with Pino's comments concerning vermin and covered / insulated figs; they love it and will girdle a tree at the bottom at which point, it doesn't matter how high they climb to chew bark.... Winter protection is really about how to protect a fig tree from cold, drying winds, extreme dips in temperature and vermin damage. An clean, open GH that maintains an avg ambient temp both day and night of about 32-38F, provides wind protection and affords no easy cover for vermin to girdle trees with impunity is likely the best case scenario...

Can we put metal shields near the bottom like those use for venting? I saw people use that to protect their fruit trees. It is kinda modern look meshing with nature.

And to protect the bark, simply spray something hot/bitter (like cinnamon oil/hot pepper) to make that an unpleasant meal.

I intend to surround every in-ground trunk with 1/4" steel mesh, from 1-2" below the soil line to 1-2' above.  I doubt that I'll try to protect individual branches.  

The trees are planted along a stone wall, which creates a great micro-climate for figs but is a haven for rodents.  So I may also dig a ~4" trench along the back of the trees / front of the wall, then insert mesh into the ground.  I'm thinking maybe a 12" wide strip, 4" below ground and 8" above.

Hi,
Here moles and voles will tunnel at anytime ... Especially if you water ... Hell, the dirt becomes soft from the watering so why go tunnel in hard dry dirt ???
I had trees that suddenly would wiggle in the wind, and you could just get them out with no roots... and try and root them again.
Against that I use buried trashcans with bottom removed.
As for rats climbing, I saw one once at 1.20m/ 4' of height targeting the seeds on a sunflower plant. Missed it with the shovel ...
In Fall, moles will raid the garden for worms and since worms hide in between the roots of the trees ... They raid the roots of the trees.
The only good rodent, is the dead one.
Trapping at Spring time has been the most efficient for me. You remove the breeders and don't get to manage their siblings .
But I'm trapping year long. They won't have a rest in my garden. Although every now and then, I still see their burrows ... What would it be with no trapping ?!?
Good luck !

rats seem to prefer young tender branches n leaves n will climb as high as needed to get them.
evil bunnies cost me $300 in plants, eating young potted figs to the ground.
they don't bother older trees.
i stopped bunnies with 5 gallon buckets with the bottom  cut out, around  every tree.
now, i have a fence with chicken wire  buried as an apron in the ground. that stops bunnies.
rats n mice need traps or poison.
i luckd out this year n a feral cat moved in.
i'm feeding her n making things as nice as i can for her.
no rodents anymore.
poison is ugly. kitties are cool.

Susie, so if had a permanent cordon system where I pruned off the new growth in the winter, the rodents wouldn't be interested? Or would they find the small bit of new wood on the spurs and go right for them?

Scott

 

Ha ha.  Here's one of my low-trained trees, just after I removed the covering this spring.  It had been in the ground for 4 years.  Voles ate all the bark on the main trunk, starting below the soil line, as well as most of the bark on the main laterals.  This is typical of damage on 6 trees. 

scott, i'm afraid that in winter they will eat any bark. you will need to use poison
to protect your trees.
unpleasant, but necessary.

there are dozens of threads where people complain about mice girdling trees under wraps.

Tin foil works great for me. Its cheap and easy to apply. I just rip off a 6" strip and crumple it around branches up to 2 feet above ground. I've had no bark damaged since do that with my inground figs and kiwis.
Tyler

I'm planning on mixing paint and Vitamin D3 and painting my tree trunks. D3 is toxic to rodents.

Tyler -- great idea.  Easier than wire mesh.

Using snap traps, I've been killing one mouse or vole just about every night for the past 2-3 weeks.  I know that this is shoveling s*** against the tide, but maybe it'll help reduce fruit loss or tree damage.  Anyway, it illustrates the numbers we're dealing with.

Today's catch.
100% fig diet!