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douglas fir seedlings being cut

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  • 14-03-2012 10:49pm
    #1
    cat320
    Registered Users Posts: 120 ✭✭


    Can anyone help me? I planted around 200 douglas fir in december, and while they have been ok up to date I went looking at them recently and to my horror discovered around 6 or 7 of them have their leaders nipped off. Im disgusted to say the least. What the hell could be doing it? Certainly not deer or goats. Could it be hares or pigeons or something? Every time I go back to see them there are a couple of more nipped, the nipped tops are lying on the ground beside the trees. What can I do to stop it? I was thinking of a crow banger? They are really slow to get growing also, they are on fertile ground. Any help appreciated


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    #2
    Birdnuts
    Registered Users Posts: 9,739 ✭✭✭Birdnuts


    Are you sure their isn't deer/livestock about - hare damage ususally involves broadleaves being stripped rather then nipped. I doubt pigeons would be interested in conifer either. Could it be simply vandelism??


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    #3
    cat320
    Registered Users Posts: 120 ✭✭cat320


    Im certain there arent livestock around, its all tillage in my farm, unless its rabbits? I doubt someone could be bothered to do it? I mean its down by a glen a good bit from the road.. If it was vandals surely they would have cut most of them or pulled them up or something.. Any other pests other than the two legged kind?:confused:


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    #4
    Birdnuts
    Registered Users Posts: 9,739 ✭✭✭Birdnuts


    cat320 wrote: »
    Im certain there arent livestock around, its all tillage in my farm, unless its rabbits? I doubt someone could be bothered to do it? I mean its down by a glen a good bit from the road.. If it was vandals surely they would have cut most of them or pulled them up or something.. Any other pests other than the two legged kind?:confused:

    Tis a strange one allright - any signs of prints etc. in mud nearby?? - rabbits would usually only go for trees during hard weather ie. frost, snow etc. but thats hardly an issue ATM with spring weeks ahead and plenty of other veg about. Maybe a trail cam might help you ID the culprit??


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    #5
    greenfingers89
    Closed Accounts Posts: 262 ✭✭greenfingers89


    rabbits and hares will do this to fir around the country. tree guards might solve it. also the trees might be struggling due to drainage issues or specific nutrient deficiency OR many other reasons, whats the site like in terms of previous ag usage?


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    #6
    Rovi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,570 ✭✭✭Rovi


    It sounds VERY like hare damage to me.
    Are they being nipped off approximately a foot or so off the ground, and all together in a line?


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    #7
    cat320
    Registered Users Posts: 120 ✭✭cat320


    Rovi wrote: »
    It sounds VERY like hare damage to me.
    Are they being nipped off approximately a foot or so off the ground, and all together in a line?

    No it is only the bare top of the seedling is cut off, say about 2 inches.. no they arent being damaged in a line, every so often,

    It is on a field boundary which is getting a bit of fertiliser every year

    I cannot see many trails around there, there is a bit of sctatching alright but nothing major.

    I have heard that douglas fir or conifers take their time growing the first year as they concentrate on establishing their roots?

    Will these trees grow as normal now or will they grow all out of shape?

    Many thanks for your help so far........ John.


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