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A tip for protecting pines.

L

loneranger

Well-Known Member
Here is a little tip for protecting pines thru the winter. Which is when most of the damage is done to the new growth on top the main leader tip. Not practical for hundreds of trees, but for a few it will work. In fall just take a small strip of masking tap and wrap around the main stem tip bud of the tree. wrap around the tip once and stick the tape to itself. This is enough to discourage a deer nibble. The main growing tip is the most important to protect. Usually the tape will hold through the winter. By spring it will about be falling off, or come off with very little effort, in time for summer new growth.
 
awesome, those main leaders are what you want to really protect! I don't know if we'll plant any cedars any time soon since there are so many natural cedar thickets but we want to plant a few apple trees this year, any tips for them?
 
Apple trees need to be caged to protect from deer and either painted or wrapped to protect from rodents. I lost a dozen trees a few years ago that were caged due to rodents girdling the trunks. You can used old woven wire fence to build cages.
 
another way to protect fruit trees:

Another way to protect trees if you are short on fencing,,if you have any black locust trees around, trim some of the nasty branchs off and wind them in and out of any fencing or posts that you have around the tree you're trying to protect. I have done this. Even using only Locust branches for a fence and it does work. The deer steer clear of all those wicked thorns. I have alot of these trees, but had not much fencing. A cheap way of fencing, but it works. You also have to wrap the trunks of fruit trees good. At least down my way, between the hords of mice and rabbits they will knaw a freshly planted fruit tree all the way around in a night, even during summer!
 
Re: another way to protect fruit trees:

Stapling Bounce fabric softeners around the top of the tree in similar fashion to the tape also works and was recommended by Bob Hibbs, DNR forester. Still does not work as well as fencing though.
 
Re: another way to protect fruit trees:

what is the best way to 'wrap' fruit tree stems before caging them?
 
Re: another way to protect fruit trees:

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what is the best way to 'wrap' fruit tree stems before caging them?

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I've used both the tree wrap you can purchase at any nursery, Walmart etc. or just flat white latex paint. Either have worked for me to keep the rodents from girdling them.
 
Re: another way to protect fruit trees:

I've used the white spiral protectors, they last forever it seems. I've also noticed that some big apple orchards just use the paint as letemwalk mentions. Seems like one would have to keep reapplying that but I guess it would be cheap enough.
One thing that doesn't work is the TreePro Shelters (tubes) the mice chewed a hole thru everyone of them and built a nice cozy nest inside and of course killed every tree
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I tried wrapping the next ones and using the tubes, but they just went above the wrap and made a nest...same result! Gave up on the tubes needless to say...
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Re: another way to protect fruit trees:

Thanks guys.Too big of an investment to lose to rodents.Thanks again.
 
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