Care to Prevent Destruction by Browsing Animals

Tender cedar leaves are the number one favorite winter food for the deer. However, they will generally not eat cedars from May through October.
Rabbits will also eat baby cedar trees in the fall, winter, and early spring. Occasionally, they will nibble the tops off even in the summer.
Securely stake a chicken wire mesh cage around and over the top of the newly planted cedar tree. The cage can stay in place around the tree until it out grows the cage. You may wish to remove the cage in the summer and replace it each year during the months of November, December, January, February, March, and April.
Several years from now you will need to build a new larger cage to fit your growing cedar tree until its crowns out of reach of the deer. Beginning in the summer of 2000, the "Cedars for the Au Sable" project will partially subsidize the cost of a six foot enclosure for your cedar trees.Please visit McLean's Hardware Home Center in Grayling.