I Wrapped My Young Mulberry Trunks With Tree Guard Protectors: No More Deer Damage

Last spring, I walked out to check on my young mulberry saplings and felt my stomach drop. Two of my most promising trees had been completely stripped of bark near the base. Deer had been at them overnight, and the damage was devastating. I’d spent two years nurturing those trees from bare-root stock, and in one night, I was looking at potential tree loss. That’s when I started seriously researching a tree guard protector for young mulberry trees — something sturdy enough to stop deer, but gentle enough not to damage the bark I was trying to protect.

Mulberry trees are surprisingly vulnerable in their first few years. The bark is thin, the trunks are slender, and deer find them irresistible — especially in late winter when food is scarce. I had six young trees in my yard, ranging from about one to three years old. Losing even one more wasn’t something I was willing to accept. So I went deep into research mode, reading reviews, watching YouTube videos, and asking around in mulberry grower forums.

Eventually, I landed on a product that seemed to check every box. I’ve now been using it for a full growing season, and I have a lot to share — including one moment where I genuinely wasn’t sure I’d made the right call.

The Metal Mesh Guard That Finally Stopped Deer From Killing My Saplings

Deer bark stripping can girdle and kill young mulberries in a single night—I learned that the hard way. Once I started using tree guards, the damage stopped completely, but finding the right balance between deer-proof protection and trunk growth took some trial and error.

What works

• The 5-inch diameter mesh is rigid enough to stop deer antlers and teeth, but doesn’t create a suffocating microclimate around the trunk like solid plastic guards do—my mulberries’ bark stays healthy underneath.
• The 16.5-inch height protects the vulnerable lower trunk zone where deer browse, and the included zip ties and stakes mean installation takes maybe 10 minutes per tree (no wrestling with flimsy wrapping).
• I’ve left these on for two full growing seasons now, and the metal mesh doesn’t degrade or split like cheaper plastic guards—no replacement or repair needed yet.

What doesn’t

• The guard doesn’t expand as your tree grows, so you’ll need to remove it once the trunk diameter approaches 5 inches—I’m already planning to upgrade two of mine this fall.
• It won’t stop every determined pest: rabbits can still chew bark at the soil line if the guard doesn’t sit flush enough, and I found voles nesting in the mulch underneath one guard that I hadn’t secured tightly at the base.

I’ll admit I was skeptical the first winter—snow piled up around the guards and I worried about trapped moisture and fungal issues—but when I removed them for inspection in early spring, the bark looked perfect. If you’ve lost young mulberries to deer like I have, grab the HOLANHING 6/9/12 Pack Tree Trunk Protector, Metal Mesh Tree Bark Protector 5” Dia x 16-1/2” H with Zip Ties & Stakes.

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