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Bark stripped from privet

Dig2006Dig2006 Posts: 65
in Problem solving
Hi i have a row of privet hedge plants that are a few years old and about 5 foot high.  They are doing well I think but i noticed that on one of them, the bit of trunk that comes out of the ground, which is probably about 40mm wide has had the bark stripped off it on one side.  No idea how it could have happened; can only assume its an animal.  I can post a picture, but is there anything i can do stop it getting diseased and dying? there is just a tiny bit of bark that I found near it.  Any help appreciated
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  • Dig2006Dig2006 Posts: 65

  • Dig2006Dig2006 Posts: 65
    Any thoughts on this? i.e. will the plant die and could the other privet next to it suffer? 
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    edited May 2022
    Must admit l don't know what could have gnawed it, maybe a rat ?
    As far as l can see, it's only gnawed the thicker top layer off, so hopefully there is no damage to the inside stem, and the plant will survive. l think all you can do is closely monitor it. 

    Fingers crossed there is a forum member who has experience of this.
  • Dig2006Dig2006 Posts: 65
    Thank you. Yep no idea what did it. I just dont know if it it did get deseased if that then can spread to the rest. Cos if there is a risk of that Id be better just replacing it. As it has taken last few years to establish the whole row.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I suspect voles or possibly rabbits (although I think rabbit damage would go higher up the stem).  

    I would get some tree protectors for the bottoms of your other privets to prevent future damage.

    If they've not gone all the way round there's a strong chance that plant will survive ... I wouldn't give up on it yet.  

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Dig2006Dig2006 Posts: 65
    Re. tree protectors, as you can see there is only a short space between the soil and when they start branching off, so i need some thing i can cut to size and wrap round the little bit of trunk. Any thoughts. 

    Could be squirrels.


  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    If you get the spiral-type tree guards you may be able to thread/weave them between the branches ... Or could you make something DIY using old plastic bottles perhaps?

    I think squirrels would go further up the trunk ... but there's no telling without a camera trap or similar ... 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Balgay.HillBalgay.Hill Posts: 1,089
    edited May 2022
    A squirrel chewed the bark on a branch of one of my magnolias about a foot off the ground. As it had chewed all round the branch i pruned it back to the trunk.
    Sunny Dundee
  • Dig2006Dig2006 Posts: 65
    Thanks all. So I've just noticed another one of the privets, but it s one of the branches that stem off the main little bit of trunk that comes out of the ground. Same thing again, shard of bark peeled off. and then further up there is the same (about 50cm off the ground).  So only two things I can do - wait and see if they two privets get diseased and if they do, get rid of them before the the plants can be infected. And secondly wrap something around the other plants.  I just dont know how to do the latter bit because its not like there is a long bit of trunk coming out of the ground - its a stub that imediately has branches coming off it couple of after a few cms off the ground. I need something flexible to wrap round the lowest branches and trunks - any suggestions on what I could use.

    No idea why this happened. Lots of squirrels but never happened before. Do rats chew bark?
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    I'm not 100% sure about rats, but l think mice do. For some reason l thought squirrels would chew higher up, as others have mentioned. 
    If you want to see if you can catch the culprit in the act, do you have, or can you borrow a trail cam ? 
    It's amazing what goes on in the garden, particularly at night.
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