Voles and chewed root balls.

Now that the snow is clearing, the vole damage becomes apparent. The voles have eaten  the roots of this rose to the point where the weight of snow and wind has upended the plant, exposing the rootless crown.

I did manage to collect some cuttings which I have placed in a jar of water, along with some willow stems to encourage rooting.

This Hellebore suffered the same fate last fall, I potted a couple of sections that still had roots and after over-wintering in the greenhouse are now ready to be planted out as soon as the weather allows.

The four stems (below) are all that was left of this rose, to which I applied rooting compound and potted back in November. they spent the winter in the greenhouse to encourage root growth. Three have survived, which I will pot on this spring and replant in the garden 12 months from now.

If you find a hole next to a hosta plant it is almost certain to be a vole

They will eat the roots and then pull the whole plant below ground one leaf at a time, until there is nothing left.

Root vegetables like these beets are also at risk, along with potatoes, carrot etc

Encouraging predators into the garden, birds, for above ground hunting

and snake for below

will hopefully keep these little critters at a manageable level.

An update on tree damage

I pruned the various damaged branches and limbs from the two willows, and took cuttings from the newest growth.

The silver leaf cuttings above and the gold leaf cuttings below, are planted in the wetlands where there is a constant supply of water

The willow is one of the easiest plants to strike from cuttings. One can also make willow water which is used to encourage plants other than willows to strike from cuttings.

This is due to the high concentration of Indolebutyric acid, a hormone that stimulates root growth found in the growing tips of willows, and Salicylic acid, a hormone which is similar to, and acts like an aspirin in signalling a plants defenses.

Simply cut young present years growth from any willow tree, remove leaves and cut into one inch lengths. Place in a waterproof container and add cold water, leave for several days or weeks. The more twigs, the stronger the brew. When finished strain off the liquid.

To use, just pour some willow water into a small container and immerse your cuttings overnight to soak up some of the willow water, then plant accordingly.