I’ve always prefered Cocoa Krispies to Cocoa Puffs. Maybe it’s because of a spring ritual I endure every year. Walk around in the landscape in early spring after a hard winter, and you’ll see neatly arranged piles of rabbit “evacuation”. Hungry rabbits take a “withdrawl” from your “hortfolio” in winter and leave a “deposit” of Cocoa Puffs at the base of the plant. They seem particularly fond of burning bush plants. Good reason to replace your burning bush with an Itea I say. Regardless, most plants will recover but you lose a number of years worth of growth. These “natures pruners” in many cases will cut off the flow to the upper portion of the plant with the damage they inflict causing the plant to start over from near the base. Go to your calendar, flip to the month of October and write in a reminder to protect valuable plants with some inexpensive chicken wire wraps next year. Make sure to use the chicken wire from the base of the plant extending up at least a couple feet. Remember, rabbits walk on top of the snow to do their damage. If they prune a burning bush, big deal, but a valued specimen plant you’ve babied along for years?!……..it will make you coo-coo for Cocoa Puffs!
