Winter Wildlife and Your Landscape: Protecting Plants from Hungry Visitors
Winter Wildlife and Your Landscape: Protecting Plants from Hungry Visitors
When Winter Turns Your Landscape into a Buffet
As snow covers open fields and food sources become scarce,wildlife often wanders into residential and commercial landscapes looking for something to eat. In Northern Colorado, deer, rabbits, voles, and even squirrels can quickly turn ornamental plants into their winter meal plan.
While it’s wonderful to coexist with nature, unprotected landscapes can suffer bark damage, stripped shrubs, and uprooted perennials. Protecting your yard doesn’t mean keeping wildlife away entirely—it’s about designing and maintaining spaces that discourage heavy browsing and keep your plants healthy year-round.
1. Identify the Common Culprits
Different animals cause different types of damage. Knowing who’s nibbling helps determine the best defense strategy.
Here’s what to look for:
• Deer: Ragged bites on shrubs, stripped bark on trees, and missing buds from evergreens.
• Rabbits: Cleanly clipped stems near the base of plants, often accompanied by small droppings nearby.
• Voles (field mice): Tunnels under snow and bark gnawing at the base of young trees.
• Squirrels: Chewed bulbs and bark or missing pinecones.
Recognizing patterns of damage helps you respond early before your plants experience lasting harm.
2. Use Physical Barriers and Fencing
One of the most effective ways to protect plants during winter is through simple physical exclusion.
Best practices include:
• Install wire mesh or chicken wire fencing around vulnerable shrubs and young trees. Make sure it’s tall enough (4–6 feet) for rabbits and anchored tightly to prevent burrowing.
• Wrap tree trunks with plastic guards or hardware cloth to prevent deer rubbing and rodent gnawing.
• Add temporary snow fencing to create visual and physical deterrents.
• Cover low-growing shrubs with burlap or frost cloth for dual protection from wildlife and wind.
For larger properties, Belmire can help design perimeter fencing that balances aesthetics with durability.
3. Choose Wildlife-Resistant Plant Varieties
Some plants are naturally less appealing to hungry animals because of their texture, taste, or scent. Choosing these species can reduce the need for deterrents while maintaining beauty in your landscape.
Popular deer-and rabbit-resistant options for Northern Colorado include:
• Spruce, Juniper, and Ponderosa Pine – less palatable evergreens.
• Boxwood, Barberry, and Oregon Grape Holly – dense, unappetizing foliage.
• Lavender, Sage, and Russian Sage – aromatic herbs that deter browsing.
• Yarrow and Catmint – hardy perennials with strong scents and fuzzy leaves.
Blending resistant plants with more vulnerable ones can naturally reduce damage without compromising your design vision.
4. Apply Safe Repellents Strategically
Repellents work by making plants taste or smell unpleasant to animals. While not foolproof, they can be part of an effective protection strategy when used consistently.
Tips for using repellents:
• Rotate products to prevent animals from adapting to a single formula.
• Reapply after rain, snow, or heavy wind.
• Use both taste-based and scent-based repellents for maximum effect.
• Avoid applying directly to edible plants or near water sources.
Belmire recommends starting repellent applications early in the season before wildlife establishes feeding habits in your yard.
5. Reduce Hiding Spots and Food Sources
Landscapes with tall grasses, brush piles, or accessible compost bins can unintentionally invite wildlife. A little winter cleanup goes a long way toward minimizing temptation.
Winter maintenance tips:
• Trim ornamental grasses near the ground after they’ve gone dormant.
• Remove fallen fruit, seeds, or nuts that attract scavengers.
• Secure trash and pet food storage areas.
• Keep mulch pulled back slightly from tree trunks to discourage rodents.
A tidy yard doesn’t just look better—it’s less likely to become a wildlife feeding station.
6. Protect Newly Installed Landscapes
Young plants, especially trees and shrubs installed in fall, are at greater risk during their first winter. Their bark and stems haven’t hardened, making them more attractive to animals looking for easy food.
To safeguard new installations:
• Use extra layers of tree wrap or hardware cloth up to two feet above the snowline.
• Mark young plantings with stakes or flags for easy location under snow.
• Add thicker mulch layers for insulation.
• Consider using a mild repellent even on deer-resistant species.
Belmire’s maintenance crews can set up protective coverings and check them periodically through the winter months.
7. Create a Balanced Habitat
Total exclusion isn’t always the goal. Landscapes that integrate natural food and shelter away from primary garden areas help redirect wildlife behavior.
Design ideas for coexistence:
• Plant shrubs like chokecherry or sumac at the property’s perimeter to offer natural food sources.
• Leave native grasses standing in less visible areas for small mammals.
• Provide water in designated wildlife zones rather than near delicate plantings.
• Maintain open sightlines near ornamentals so deer feel exposed and avoid loitering.
A balanced approach keeps animals healthy while protecting your investment.
A Peaceful Winter for You and the Wildlife
Winter landscapes tell a quiet story—snow-covered lawns, evergreens standing tall, and the occasional set of hoofprints leading to a tempting shrub. With a little preparation, those visitors can pass through without leaving a mark.
At Belmire Premier Landscape Solutions, we believe healthy landscapes should coexist with Colorado’s wildlife. Our team helps homeowners and property managers find the right balance between beauty and protection—using smart design, strategic planting, and seasonal maintenance to reduce winter damage naturally.
If you’ve noticed chewed bark, missing buds, or snow tunnels this season, it’s not too late to act. A few quick adjustments can make a big difference for both your plants and local wildlife.
Proudly serving Loveland, Fort Collins, Windsor, and surrounding Northern Colorado communities.
Reach out to Belmire Premier Landscape Solutions to learn how to protect your yard this winter while keeping nature in harmony with your home.