How to Prevent Possums from Stripping Your Fruit Trees Bare
Posted on: 22 February 2017
There is nothing so satisfying for a gardener than to see all your hard work pay off as spring rolls around and your fruit trees begin to blossom, full of promise and hopefully soon to be full of fruit. However, in Australia, you probably aren't the only one happily preparing for a bountiful summertime harvest. Rodents, such as rats, mice, squirrels and every Australian gardener's favourite—the possum—are eagerly waiting to enjoy the fruits of your labour.
If you leave it too late, you might not have much left to save. Possums especially are notorious for their ability to strip a fruit tree bare. To protect your trees and your harvest, you need to be ready for the furry fruit-crazed critters soon to be swarming your garden.
When planning your defences, keep the following tips in mind.
Plant for the Possums Too
Dealing with possums can be tricky. Not only is it illegal to poison them, but you are also prohibited from relocating them. This means you are limited in what you can do. Prevention is your only course of action where possums are concerned.
However, if you're going to be sharing your garden with possums, then perhaps the best course of action is to provide them with something else to eat, something other than your precious fruit
Possums are fond of:
- Gum Trees: Choose the miniature variety, and keep them snipped. This way they won't take over your garden, and they'll provide the possums with a constant supply of young gum tips.
- Bottlebrushes: Possums love the leaves and flowers of bottlebrush plants.
- Lilly Pillies: Lilly pillies provide them with leaves, flowers and fruit.
- Apple Tree Leave: A small hedge of apples at the bottom of your garden will keep hungry possums away from your treasured fruit trees.
You will have to set zones in your yard, but once you figure out the possums' route into your garden, you can limit their foods to that area.
Provide Them With a Possum Feeding Board
A simple board nailed to a tree and covered with treats, such as apple, banana, peanut butter and pieces of carrot can keep possums busy. Possums prefer fresh fruits and are nocturnal so ensure you fill up your feeding boards before retiring for the night.
Utilize Some Tree Collars
Tree collars are commonly used in New Zealand where possums exist in large numbers. The best tree collars are metal and can be fitted around the trunk of a tree. The smooth surface prevents possums from climbing up to reach the fruity goodness above. However, possums are very agile so if your trees are low to the ground or there are other areas which they can climb and jump onto your tree from, this method won't work.
Scare Them off With Blood and Bone
Blood and bone, as gross as that sounds, is actually quite a handy possum repellent. This method works because once a possum catches the scent of death, it retreats, its instincts warning it that there may be danger nearby. To use this method, grind up some chicken, pig or cow bones with a little blood and stuff it into a sock. Hang the sock from a tree in the area you wish to protect. You'll need to keep the scent fresh, however, so every now and then give the sock a squeeze or shake.
Possums can be a menace if you allow them to be. However, with a little practice and diligence, you can actually continue to enjoy your fruit trees whilst also providing a habitat for possums. For more information, contact local professionals like Allstate Pest Control.
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