Plants chewed off at the ground

I just want to whine I think I have the answer to my problem. This fall and winter I have planted 24 crepe myrtles, 8 paulownia trees, 2 spireas, 2 desert willows, 25 rosemarys, all in 1 gallon cantainers that I spent over a year propagating, seeds and cuttings. Almost every plant, except the rosemary has been chewed off to about ground level. My desert willows have only been chewed on. I assume it is rabbits and/or rats, I am over stocked with both. The last plant I put in the ground was a vitex and I put rabbit gaurd fence around it, it is safe so far. I guess my question is will the varmits leave my plants alone when the wild spring greenery starts growing and what are the chances the plants live and gro? By the way I have about 100 plants in 1 gallon pots right in the middle of most of the plantings and they have not been touched. I am sort of a newbie at landscaping in the country. What All I have left to say is &%^$$@&%$^!!!!

Well, heck, I'm not even a Texas gardener but for some reason I like to lurk in this forum (my Dad was a Texan maybe that explains it) but anyway, wow, those must be some hongry jackrabbits! Or whatever kind they are...... I do bet though that once there is some other forage for them they will be less interested in the sticks and stems there...... Jeez. That is something to whine about for sure!

Do post updates, okay? I am about to be gardening (next spring) in an area that is open to predation like this and have a little concern about stuff being eaten before I can get it going...... well, we will just have to see.

Anyways, feeling your pain here!

Kyla

Thanks Kyla. I hope the crepes and others survive the pruning by my furry friends or will it be murder.

Serve em right, too! lol

good luck!

k

Go out with a flashlight at night and see if you can catch them. At least it sounds like the rosemary plants are a good choice in that area.

I came to the same conclusion when I went into my greenhouse to water my plants and found 2 of the named plumeria cuttings, rooted this summer, on the floor, 4 were chewed about half way through and a 7th one with some bark missing. Whatever it is, it must have sneaked in when I left the door open for ventilation one day. My plumerias were the only ones damaged. I've calloused the two broken ones, but I hope the others hang on until spring because they don't well during winter. One the other hand, it was kind enough to leave my Brugmansias alone.

I think the rabbits and rats are plentiful is because my three Great Pyrs keep the predators, the wily coyotes away whose diet is mainly rodents and rabbits from what I understand. My Great Pyrs do engage the coyotes on a regular basis. One morning about 2 weeks ago all three were bloody, not their blood either. There was a very loud coyote concert the previous evening. So I assume that the chewing down of my plants is my fault for having Great Pyrs who keep the coyotes away from my vegetarian rodents. I also have mice and pine voles all over the place. Coyotes do have their place in nature but I like them at a distance not in the back yard like they were before my Great Pyrs. There you have it it is all my fault.