I need advise about what I should do with my damaged Maple tree? - Ask Extension
Last winter squirrels damaged my 40 year old maple tree. My husband and I planted this tree 40 years ago and I'm afraid we have lost our tree. Can you...
Knowledgebase
I need advise about what I should do with my damaged Maple tree? #870510
Asked May 28, 2024, 7:46 PM EDT
Last winter squirrels damaged my 40 year old maple tree. My husband and I planted this tree 40 years ago and I'm afraid we have lost our tree. Can you give me any advise? Should I just trim the damaged branches and pray the tree survives? I have pictures of the tree I can send you. Please provide guidance.
I worked at the Univ for 47 years and my husband was a Master Gardener.
Thank you
Cass County Minnesota
Expert Response
Photos would be very helpful. Any branches that were girdled will die or have died beyond the girdling. I hope the squirrels didn’t strip any large branches. Maple are tough and I hope yours is doing ok.
Attached are photos of my tree. What do you advise I do?
Thank you
Judy
Squirrels can be so destructive.
Prune off the limbs where the bark has been stripped off all the way around and those where the bark has been stripped away so so more than 50 % of the bark of an imaginary ring around a branch is gone. Xylem and Pholem are just under the bark and if the connection is broken the tree can’t move water to the leaves and food to the roots.
Prune off the limbs where the bark has been stripped off all the way around and those where the bark has been stripped away so so more than 50 % of the bark of an imaginary ring around a branch is gone. Xylem and Pholem are just under the bark and if the connection is broken the tree can’t move water to the leaves and food to the roots.
Is there anything I can do to prevent this from happening next winter?
Thank you
Judy
Nothing that is effective. Squirrels can be trapped to reduce the numbers but new ones move in. We finally have fox and hawks that are reducing the pests in my yard. We were over run with squirrels when several people were feeding the birds and squirrels were getting enough food to have multiple litters a year.
Thank you
On May 30, 2024, at 9:37 AM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
I wish I had a cure for squirrels.
