Moose have eaten my rhododendron plant

by Dupie
(Ingonish,N.S. Canada)

moose and my plants

over the winter two moose have eaten the leaves off my rhododendron and the needles off my yew plant. I just wondering if we should get rid of the yew plant and do I just cut back the bare branches of the rhododendron

Doug says that this is one big garden pest! :-) The good news is that the yew will regrow from the trunk. So don't give up on that one. Whatever is left will resprout.

The rhodo on the other hand will require pruning. There's likely two schools of thought on this. The first (mine) is to let it grow as it will this year so it can develop energy after spending it to releaf. Prune next year.

The second would be to prune as soon as it leafs out - prune for shape. Do it right after it starts leafing out so you can see what's alive and what's dead. You may find that you can reshape it OK - (I don't know how far back this critter took it).

My concern is not that either of the plants are dead but rather the shape of them and making sure they develop enough energy this year to live for next year.

And next year - big tall, strong fences are in order!

Great pic by the way.

Comments for
Moose have eaten my rhododendron plant

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Yews are poisonous !
by: Ken

Don't know how old these posts are, I found them because I just lost an Alpaca to Taxus Toxiscity - she ate from a Yew bush. Not sure how much but she was fine at dark and by early morning she was cold and stiff. Killled her quickly. I would have to think from what I am reading that it would kill moose too! I'm going home tonight to chain saw down any Yew I can find.

big pests!
by: Anonymous

We live on a small acerage outside of Edmonton, this year moose and/or deer ate my hostas, bit back my mugo pines, sandcherry, hydrangea, dogwood, apple tree, and mountain ash. It has been a very long, cold dry spring and the wild saskatoons are really struggling - likely why they have eaten so much of my beloved garden!

Mooses
by: Christine

Head for the dog grooming salon and get a bag
of dog clippings and spread it around the garden.
Most critters will take a back seat and run away.
Human hair keeps insects and little pests away
from most plants too. Got rid of the critters under garden shed.

Mooses
by: Moira

Here in Scotland the only 'Moose' we have to worry about is the Rabbie Burn's version i.e. Mice! They're a dab hand at running off with peas and beans.

Pesting Moose
by: Anonymous

I don't know if it would work for Moose but my daughter had this problem with Deer. She goes to a beauty shop and collects the hair that has been cut and bags it and takes it home and then puts the hair around her Pine Trees ect. No problems with the deer anymore.
Good luck !
Donna - NE Indiana

Moose on the loose
by: Ferne

Yep...that one takes the prize for clipping back plants....and we thought we had problems! I only lost one batch of my tulips this year to a deer.
That young moose looks very relaxed and at home. I expect he and his friend will remember where those juicy tid-bits were next time around.

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Doug Green