As mentioned above, I quit having mice issues by spraying around each tree. No competing vegetation for the tree and I’m assuming no cover for mice.

Just took the first of my tubes off. I wouldn’t plant a tree without them from my experience over the last 4 years. Running around a 96% rate on survival so far.

I should probably do this. Perhaps I've been afraid the spray might kill the tree I guess.

I've also thought about spraying some spots in the fall where I plan on planting trees in the spring.

We used black corrugated drain tile on our new skinny trees. We cut lengths of that to what we needed for each tree then slit the tube lengthwise and slipped it on. The tube maintains its round shape well but as the tree grows it easily sheds the plastic tile tubes over time too.
We had great luck with those.
Kept the rabbits from chewing the bark as the snow deepened, and kept the bucks from using the new trees as rubbing posts.
Jim

We did same thing with them for the new trees we planted at our old house.
Like this…

I would have thought the black would attract too much heat, jab.

I have some wildlife shrubs coming next month. I'm thinking about planting them in a cluster and then putting up a tall deer fence around the cluster. Does anyone know where I can buy fencing that deer won't jump over? Eventually I would remove the fence & tube them once I pick out the ones that are growing the best.

FYI - The deadline to order trees for my Soil Water Conservation District is March 30 if you want to check your local office out...

Somewhere I read about a guy that strung up some fishing line as a sort of makeshift ~fence to deter deer. I'm thinking of trying it around small clusters of young wildlife shrubs. He used 30#. I don't know, 50# might work better. I wouldn't go hog wild with it, but it might be worth a try. Sporting goods stores sell the cheap clear heavy line for less than $5 for a seemingly good sized spool.

I used 1/4 inch hardware cloth for the first couple years around the trees.
Kept rabbits out, never had a problem with mice.
Built a second fence around the trees of 1x2 cage wire 3-4 foot tall around them.
When the trees got bigger , use deer guard 7 foot tall around them.
Once they got tall enough, then just used a woven fence to keep them from being rubbed on.

Good point. Some people worry mostly about deer eating the tree, but a lot of times rubbing does more damage.

got a 100 60inch tubes yesterday, sure have gone up in price

No more tubes for me.
2 x 4 welded wire x 5 ft tall cut into 66" lengths then rolled up to form a cage.
$125 for 100 ft roll yields around 18 cages, or 7 bucks ea.
They last much longer than plastic tubes and the mice seem to leave the trees alone when in a cage vs occasional mice moving and girdling of a tubed tree.
One stake 4 ft long is enough to keep cage in place vs 6 ft stake needed for a plastic tube.

I have stopped buying bare root 1-2 yr old seedlings.

Some of the bare root trees planted then tubed just never amounted to much and after 4-5 yrs are still only 2-3 ft tall.
While some are 5-10 ft tall and doing great. Why some do great and other struggle I don't know. I'd say its about 1/3 do real well while the rest struggle.


Am now buying 3-4 yr old 4ft tall potted plants.
Much more expensive but they seem to take less time to get going with no runts.
I suspect competition/shade with surrounding grasses and other plants makes it harder for a 1-2 ft seedling while a 4 ft seedling is above or equal to the grasses.
Also less shock/disruption to the roots in a potted planted vs a bare root.


A trees most vulnerable point in its life is from seedling to sapling.
The quicker you can get a planted tree to a decent sapling the better.
Avoiding 2-3 yrs as a small sapling and jumping right toa 4 ft seedling may make a big difference.
Another yr or two then I'll have a better idea if its worth it.

Am going remove some of the runts and replace with a taller potted seedling this spring.
Should tell me if they are worth it,

I've had to move some of about 1/2 dozen trees due to new gas line.
They were about 6-8ft tall Burr Oaks that I had planted about 5 yrs ago from bare root seedlings.

Gas company would pay for new seedlings but the loss of 5 yrs growth is what bugged me.
So I had the existing trees moved by a tree spade. Cost was about $125/tree.
Gas Co. payed for the move.

Talked to a DNR forester that works central WI. Says the tree regeneration is very poor to non-existent in many places.
Too many deer.
Any tree has to be fenced to survive.
He also suggest potted plants for best results.
Cost is biggest down side.

I ended up buying 1,200 6' Plantra tubes last year. So far I am really liking how they are holding up.
I had some walnuts I planted previous years that never grew past 2ft and they'd resprout the next year. I put tubes on them and some of them reached 7' last year. The one was a resprout. Wouldn't have happened without the tubes. Also have some maples I planted around 5 years ago that would juat get destroyed by rabbits, they put on 4ft with the tubes. They'd have grown more if they received more sun but a red pine wind break slightly shades them.

Are tree tubes made from drain pipe. I just made a few and it is what I used. A very sharp knife will easily split it lengthwise.

Is there a good source for quality, but inexpensive tree tubes. I can't afford to spend $18,000.00 to $20,000.00 on enough to use on around 8 acres of trees.

Keith

I’ve found the Plantra tubes to be 100% the ticket for me. As mentioned in previous replies in this thread. I’ve had zero issues with mice, etc. I spray glyphosate around the tube until the tree is out of the top (often the first year with barefoot seedlings) and then let them go. Running easily >95% across hard and soft mast plantings.

I’ve gotten to the point of removing the tubes on probably 75% of my planting now. Once I split the tube, I cut it in half and put back on the base of the tree to minimize buck rubbing. I tried not doing it and had a few get rubbed.

I’ve had at least 3 friends buy cheaper tubes since I started planting over the last 5 years and they’ve had a mess.

spraying weed killer, around the tree is a must even if it just grass,

cheaper to fence the 8 acres itself.

I planted 25 American plum wildlife shrubs from DNR last week. I'm concerned how they will do w/out good tubes. I might have to do something from each 1 to avoid it being rabbit/deer food

Last year I had several tubes on my property mangled, which I suspect were bears.Tubes aren't bulletproof. I also had a problem w/ tubes becoming bee houses.

I might make mesh tubes/fencing, but then I suppose mice would look to feast on some

I use field tile for years with no problems

Are you talking about that black corrugated plastic drain tile?