Plant Protection

Protection is the preventative maintenance aspect of plant care. Although we often think of protection in terms of avoiding damage from animals or people, protection includes any proactive steps to minimize plant stress and maintain health. An important first step in this process is to select well-adapted species and then maintain them in a vigorous condition.

Protecting Plants from Desiccation

Desiccation occurs when the rate of water loss (transpiration) from the plant exceeds its ability to extract moisture from the soil. Numerous factors contribute to desiccation including temperature, wind speed, sun exposure, soil texture, available soil moisture, and stage of plant growth.

• Water in anticipation of high plant demands.
• Saturate the soil in the fall and early winter in order to reduce winter desiccation.
• Use anti-desiccant spray when planting seedlings, transplanting nursery stock, or in the fall to protect exposed plants. Install landscape fabric and mulch to conserve soil moisture.
• Use shingles or screens on the south and west sides of newly planted seedlings to reduce wind desiccation and sun exposure.
• If possible, do not locate plants in exceptionally windy areas unless temporary protection is provided.
  

A sunshade protects a ponderosa pine seedling.

Protecting Plants from Animals

Ornamental landscapes attract and provide habitat for numerous animals including deer, rabbits, gophers, mice, and other wildlife. Although some designs intentionally incorporate features to attract wildlife, damage to landscape plants can be serious and may warrant the need for protection. The type and cost of protection varies with the value of the plants and the potential for damage.

Repellents. Repellents are products that, when applied to the plant or soil, discourage animals from feeding on or otherwise damaging the plant. They are:

• Usually low-cost products
• Well suited for use in gardens, orchards, nurseries, and ornamental landscapes
• Generally only effective for a short period of time and require multiple applications in order to continue providing protection
• Increasingly ineffective as browse and forage become limited

Exclusion. In general, exclusion systems provide more absolute protection than other techniques. These barriers may be physical and/or electrical in mode of action. Physical barriers include wire cylinders and cages, ventilated plastic tubing, netting, wraps, fences, screens, and hardware cloth.

Culture. Cultural practices such as weed control, brush management, pruning, and mowing can be used to reduce cover in the vicinity of the target plant. Remove tall, dense herbaceous vegetation from around trees and shrubs to discourage rodents.

Plant Selection. Browsing damage can sometimes be reduced by selecting plants that are not preferred by wildlife and livestock. Keep in mind that starving animals will utilize nearly all edible vegetation.

Using Domestic Animals for Plant Protection. Secured dogs and other domestic animals are sometimes effective in scaring away unwanted wildlife. New designs that incorporate wireless fences have proven effective in the nursery industry.

Animal Removal. In some cases, it may be necessary to relocate damaging animals. Contact your county animal control department.

Sacrificial Crops. Highly palatable, low cost crops can sometimes be used to lure wildlife away from landscape plants. Caution should be used when designing such systems to avoid attracting additional animals into the area. This is probably best suited to farm or ranch situations.

A wire cylinder excludes browsing animals.

Beaver damage to a cottonwood tree.

Livestock damage.

Protecting Plants from People

People, through neglect, careless-ness, or even misguided effort, often injure landscape plants. Protection from people comes in many forms including proper landscape design, appropriate species selection, proper planting location, installation of physical barriers, the use of warning signs, and proper education.

Always consider public safety, especially that of children, when developing a protection plan.

Sidewalks help protect plants in heavy traffic areas.

This information is also available for downloading as Chapter 14 of the publication, Creating Native Landscapes in the Northern Great Plains and Rocky Mountains. This document requires Adobe Acrobat.

Plant Protection (PDF; 1.5 MB)

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