Protecting Young Trees With Tree Guards: Homemade Solutions

You plant a tree, encourage it to take root, and anticipate its beauty and fruit, only to see it succumb to hungry animals in the winter. I have been there.

Fortunately, there is an easy and sometimes free solution. You don't have to lose your prized trees and shrubs; use tree guards to protect them from being girdled by chewing animals like rabbits, mice, voles, and squirrels!

Discover what girdling looks like, how and when to use tree guards to protect young trees, and tree guard options beyond plastic, such as wire mesh and cardboard Christmas gift wrap tubes.

Not Today, Peter Rabbit

Does it seem like your flowers, fruit trees, and vegetables are an all-you-can-eat buffet for the local animals? It can be challenging to find ways to live in harmony with the amazing wildlife that wants to eat your treasured plants. 

That is why I have created these resources that can help you protect your garden and orchard:

• Stop Crop Damage By Preventing Pest Animals in the Garden

• Effective Strategies for Deer Management

• Proven Methods to Keep Squirrels Out of The Garden

• How to Keep Rabbits Out of Your Garden

• Safe & Natural Methods to Deter Birds

Tree Damage: What Is Girdling

Tree girdling is when the bark of a tree is removed around the trunk’s circumference. It happens all the time, seemingly overnight, often leaving the gardener wondering what went wrong! 

The cambium layer of trees and shrubs lies just beneath the bark and is responsible for the growth of new wood and bark. Girdling can disrupt the flow of water and nutrients, damage or destroy the cambium layer, and expose the heartwood. A tree will never heal from the damage of girdling.

It causes trees to be extremely stunted and more prone to disease, mildew, rot, and pests. If you don’t catch it soon enough, the tree will likely not survive. 

What Causes Tree Girdling

Tree girdling commonly occurs in winter when food is scarce, and animals like deer, rabbits, mice, voles, and even squirrels will chew on the tender bark for sustenance. The bark is the most nutritious part of the tree, and sadly, many gardeners lose their prized fruit trees to this natural food cycle.

Young trees need to have their tender cambium layer protected from pest animals in the garden. That is where tree guards come in! They will maximize your saplings’ chance of survival.

Benefits of Tree Guards

Thankfully, prevention is easy, and in some cases, free! Tree guards are an effective solution for protecting young trees from girdling by local wildlife.

Tree guards (or tree tubes) are protective sleeves that fit loosely around the tree trunk to shield it. Additionally, they protect against accidental damage from string trimmers, lawn mowers, and the like. 

When to Use Tree Guards

It is a good idea to put a tree guard around your tree as soon as you plant it to be proactive in preventing injury; however, it is especially important to put them on in the fall before the winter snows arrive!

Anytime you notice damage to the trunk of the tree, you should apply tree guards right away to prevent further damage. Pro-Tip: If a tree has only been slightly girdled and the damage is not severe, you can apply a tree wound sealer to cover the wound before putting on a tree guard. It won't heal in that spot, but it will act as a permanent fake bark. Many options are available, but a great choice is Tree Pruning Sealer made by Tanglefoot.

Best Types of Tree Guards

Many hardware stores and landscaping supply companies sell tree guards made of plastic. Some plastics contain harmful substances that can leach into the soil over time. However, there is a free item that most people throw out that works just as effectively: gift wrap tubes! 

Cardboard tubes do not contain harmful polymers found in plastic tree guards, and they are biodegradable! You can even throw them into the compost pile to break down once their purpose has been served. This eliminates waste and helps to create organic compost.

How to Repurpose Cardboard Gift Wrap Tubes to Make Tree Guards

Follow these steps to quickly make tree guards out of cardboard tubes:

1. Gather Materials - Save or buy sturdy cardboard tubes (paper towel tubes may also work, depending on the size and thickness). You will also need a box knife or something similar to cut the cardboard.

2. Cut the Cardboard Tubes - Cut the cardboard tube into 12-inch-long sections. 

3. Create an Opening - Then, cut straight down the length of a 12-inch section once with the box knife to make a circular tube that opens up like a cuff.

4. Place a Tree Guard Around the Tree Trunk - Pull open the tube and wrap it around the base of the tree trunk. It should be able to close around the trunk with room to spare.

5. Secure the Tree Guard - Press the tree guard down into the soil.

This method can be used in the fall and should last through the winter. Remove the tube in the spring. 

Once the tree reaches a diameter of more than 2-3 inches, the bark will be thick enough and strong enough to deter most animals from chewing on the trunk. Pro Tip: If your tree damage is being caused by larger animals, such as beavers or deer, you will need a sturdier solution, like a wire mesh tree guard.

To create a homemade wire mesh tree guard, use wire cutters to cut the wire mesh to size and zip ties to secure the ends together around the tree. Remember to ensure that it is not too snug on the tree trunk, but allows plenty of room for growth!