Outdoor & Protected Cultivation
Wildlife, Herbivory & Physical Protection
Outdoor plant loss can come from browsing, digging, chewing, trampling, birds, rodents, or larger wildlife. Damage pattern and site evidence should guide exclusion rather than assuming every missing leaf is an insect problem.
Key concepts
- Different animals leave different feeding and movement evidence
- Young plants can be disproportionately vulnerable
- Physical barriers are usually more predictable than repellents alone
- Protection should not block airflow, light, drainage, or routine inspection
What to measure or observe
- Photograph tracks, droppings, bite patterns, or disturbed soil
- Record time of day when damage appears
- Inspect barrier gaps and digging points
- Separate wildlife damage from insect chewing and mechanical breakage
Common mistakes
- Applying insect treatments to vertebrate damage
- Installing barriers that shade or restrict plants
- Ignoring underground digging
- Waiting for repeated losses before mapping entry routes
Visuals this lesson still needs
- Herbivory damage comparison
- Barrier design examples
- Wildlife entry-route map
- Animal versus insect chewing differential