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Protect Arborvitae From Wildlife

Posted by Jennifer Smith on 5th Oct 2018

The American Arborvitae/Thuja is a hardy Evergreen tree that can be found scattered throughout North America in zones 3-7. Arborvitaes grow throughout the year, maturing into heights between 40-60' tall and 10-15' wide. While direct sunlight is required to grow these trees, it only requires six complete hours to guarantee growth. 

This type of tree is a favorite among tree growers, perhaps because of it's skinny pyramid; but it is also a favorite among wildlife. Deer, rabbits, and even moose, seek out arborvitaes for nourishment. Additionally, the seeds are eaten by squirrels and birds. 

Tree growers with young arborvitaes will need to wrap tree guards around the base of trees to prevent wildlife damage caused by deer and other critters. For mature trees, it's best to surround the trees with deer fencing to block jumping attempts from deer. For rabbit control, growers should build a steel fence with PVC-coating and trench the fence into the ground to prevent burrowing animals from reaching the trees. 

Fencing and tree guards are the best measure for wildlife control when planting trees such as arborvitaes. 

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