Orange Dream Maple bark stripped by squirrels. :-(

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum but have gathered info from you all over the years. Thanks so much!

I have a question. I'm relatively new to gardening. My husband and I planted this young Orange Dream Maple a couple of years ago in a planter on our deck. We live in Lancaster County, PA and our deck is East facing, and the tree has been doing great!

We just noticed today that our (out of control) squirrels have stripped the bark either off of the tree completely, or they've ripped it down in multiple places on the trunk.

Do I need to snip away the bark that's left that's separated from the trunk, or should I leave it? And do I need to do something to protect the exposed bark so the tree doesn't get damaged? Are there any products I should purchase? I have a few pictures I'll try to post. (Sorry they posted horizontal!)

Thanks in advance for your help!
Vera

Bad news and worse news....

The layer immediately beneath the bark of a tree (called the cambium layer) is the living tissue of the tree. All the nutrients produced by the tree top or absorbed by the roots, plus all the moisture the tree needs for survival are carried up and down by this layer. The bark protects this delicate membrane. Once the bark is gone, the cambium is exposed and chances are it will die.

Your tree does not appear to be "girdled" (the bark isn't stripped all the way around the tree) so there is a chance of saving part of it. The branches on the sides of the trunk that have been stripped of more than 25% of the girth will probably die. The branches with less damage will eventually recover.

Squirrels strip bark in spring and early summer to get at the sap of the tree. Some trees taste better than others, and, unfortunately, Maples taste like sugar.

To prevent future squirrel attacks, wrap the trunk in sheet metal for the spring. Or, as squirrels hate getting wet, a motion activated water sprinkler. The one called the Scarecrow is awesome. Repellents don't work. Neither do lights or noise - the squirrels get used to them.

Good Luck. Beautiful tree.

Daisy

Thanks Daisy for the info. I'll cross my fingers and hope for the best.

Next year I'll do what you said come Spring. That is, if the tree makes it. :-(

Would it do any good to wrap the trunk now, and maybe keep it wrapped, since the squirrels seem intent on going after it?

And this is a stupid question, but are there any protective sprays I could use on the cambium like we use on exposed skin wounds to protect them while they heal?

I'm looking into the sprinkler after I post this!
Thanks again,
Vera

Hi Vera,

We used to spray wounds like that with Pruning Seal but now the experts are advising that the wounds heal better and faster without any covering as the covering encourages fungi and bacteria growth.

If you do wrap the trunk to discourage the squirrels, use a piece of sheet metal (something they can't climb or chew through) or metal cloth (which they will climb and perhaps chew your tree higher up). They should be over the bark stripping for the year now that summer has come.

Daisy

Thanks Daisy!

Apparently our squirrels are behind the times because they just did this this week! Grrrr....

I'll look into sheet metal and see if that deters them too. And I've just ordered a motion detection sprinkler per your great suggestion. The one you mentioned was out of stock in a number of places so I got one from Amazon (Orbit brand). A bit pricey, but our tree's health is worth it! Thanks for that suggestion!
And thanks again :-)
Vera

I don't think it's all gloom and doom Vera. I wouldn't even put the chances of your tree dying very high. Don't be discouraged, the tree will grow callous tissue around the injured parts and in a few years you won't even know it happened. It's chances go down if other stresses are present, such as any insect or disease issues that try to infiltrate the tree's defenses.

Thanks Sequoiadendron 4... and fellow neighbor! ;-)

I sure hope not. We've really enjoyed watching the tree grow each year, and we've certainly enjoyed the color changes every Fall!

We did wrap some heavy duty aluminum foil around the base just to see if the squirrels go back to it, kind of like a booby trap so I know if they're still going at it or not. I'll keep an eye out for diseases, etc.

It's really done well and grown since we first bought it in the Spring of 2013 until now. (Pics from 2013 attached) I hope it survives.

Oh man I didn't even realize that we were neighbors! Pretty cool. Hopefully the aluminum fool will scare the squirrels away. Do they attack it during the growing season or in the winter?

They didn't seem to bother it over the winter that we noticed. We keep it tucked in the corner for protection from the wind and snow, etc., but in the summertime we move it out towards the railing where the tree is and the bird feeders are so that it can get more light. We just noticed the damage this week. I've moved it back in the corner where it will still get light, but maybe it'll deter the squirrels as well. I loosened the foil because I don't want it to keep it moist and encourage infection so we'll see. Still waiting on the sprinkler that Daisy suggested to come arrive (can't wait to see that in action!), so I have to keep my eye on it, and the squirrels, until then. :-)

They didn't seem to bother it over the winter that we noticed. We keep it tucked in the corner for protection from the wind and snow, etc., but in the summertime we move it out towards the railing where the tree is and the bird feeders are so that it can get more light. We just noticed the damage this week. I've moved it back in the corner where it will still get light, but maybe it'll deter the squirrels as well. I loosened the foil because I don't want it to keep it moist and encourage infection so we'll see. Still waiting on the sprinkler that Daisy suggested to come arrive (can't wait to see that in action!), so I have to keep my eye on it, and the squirrels, until then. :-)

Yeah that sprinkler sounds like it will be pretty fun to watch for sure. I've never heard of such a thing.

The best thing about the sprinkler is that it is non-discriminating. It will get you too.

Haha...it would be fun to take friends into the garden and not tell them about it beforehand.

We just got the sprinkler in the mail so we'll be setting it up soon, I hope! I'll let you know how effective it is.

I just hope it doesn't detect the birds too! And our dogs...
We have to set it up on our deck, so figuring out a place so the dogs don't trigger it too is going to be fun....!

Haha well it might be fun to get the dogs too :)

Just sprinkle the dogs with doggy shampoo and issue all visitors towels before they step into the yard. 8')