Buck Hollow Sporting Goods - click or touch to visit their website Midwest Habitat Company

Tree Planting

I think the fiberglass rods are the way to go, tractor supply had them for 1.09 a piece and if they last 10 years, it beats the bamboo and I can also use them for electric fencing/water gap later on if needed.

Orscheln's had the rebar electric fence posts for 89 cents last week I saw also.
 
Orscheln's
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My son works for them while he is going to school and they have a lot of 20% off sales like from 6-8 a.m. or everything you can fit in a 5 gallon bucket etc. but you have to watch for them.

Plus I get 15% family/employee discount too...:way::D
 
Here are some of my recent pics, I was a little anxious and accidentally broke off a dwarf chinkapin acorn that was sending down roots, but no top yet. Some more started to sprout up.

Here is why I protect my oaks,

unprotected
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Same year and sized seedling when planted and I put a guard up this year from all the browse pressure. These seedlings are right next to each other and it has easily put on 10 inches of growth so far this year.

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ACCF American Chestnuts seeds are starting to sprout!!

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The dwarf chinkapins seems to be loving the site I picked out for them next to the apple orchard.

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I am very happy with my Coldstream Farm American Chestnut order.

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Did you guys get the poly-sleeves for the Protex tubes??? I ordered a bunch last year from Forestry Suppliers- pry 300-400. They came without the poly-sleeves. Well, I assembled them and put out there anyways- year later most have opened up and are useless- the wind just eventually opens them completely up. I guess it's my fault for not getting the Poly-sleeves BUT I couldn't find them on Forestry supplier's site and just assumed they would come with them. Currently re-doing all my tubing from last year. Did you all get the Poly-sleeves with yours???

Broke down this year and order the full assembled vented tubes from NWTF.org - turkey shoppe AND I'm trying some pre-assembled vented tubes from Plantra.com Both are maybe a $1 more per tube- if a guy is tubing 500 trees- that's a big deal, 100 or less, I like the no-hassle, no wait- I LOVE the no hassle. Yet, I don't have as much time this year so it saves me a lot of time/hassle- guess you just have to weigh it out VS how much you're doing.
 
Never had any problems with the Protex tubes opening up, but I could see where that is possible. It sounds like drilling holes and using those for ventilation and to hold stakes is better for them anyways.
 
I like the no-hassle, no wait- I LOVE the no hassle
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I agree..they are a pain in the butt and for small orders not the best option perhaps but on the other hand at 2 bucks a piece difference I just paid myself a 1000 bucks for assembling them.

For those just reading about tree tubes, go back to the beginning of this tread to look over ALL the tube options and decide what might be your best option.

No question the ones that come with "some assembly required" are kind of a pain so one needs to weigh budget constraints again time constraints and decide what is best for you.

Phil...great pictures of your fenced tree seedlings...any thoughts on the most cost effective option??
 
dbltree said:
Phil...great pictures of your fenced tree seedlings...any thoughts on the most cost effective option??
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That chicken wire was free, my buddy was done using it so he gave that to me. :way:

I am thinking it may be a great way to go with fiberglass or rebar electric posts since they would last a long time and you would only have to buy them once. Going to check prices per foot on the chicken wire today hopefully.
 
You can actually get pre-assembled vented tubes from plantra.com - 4 foot tubes for $2.24/each if you buy 500+ or $2.59/each for 5 foot. Protex are $1.52 (4 foot) or $1.74 (5 foot) if you buy 500.

Plantra is much more if you order small quantities BUT the difference on a big order is around $.75 cents per tube (which for some folks is a big deal). I will say after trying these Plantra tubes, I feel they are far better quality than Protex tubes BUT each has it's ups and downs with cost, assembly, etc. All about a guys preference and weighing it out. Just thought I'd mention the option of these Plantra.com tubes I found and started trying/using which seem pretty good- slightly more but quality seems a lot better.
 
Let us know how they do Skip!! I can say the protex tubes last longer than my treepro tubes. I will be interested to see how well the Plantra tubes do and how long they last.

We are all here to learn what works best!!! :D
 
Sligh1 said:
You can actually get pre-assembled vented tubes from plantra.com - 4 foot tubes for $2.24/each if you buy 500+ or $2.59/each for 5 foot. Protex are $1.52 (4 foot) or $1.74 (5 foot) if you buy 500.

Plantra is much more if you order small quantities BUT the difference on a big order is around $.75 cents per tube (which for some folks is a big deal). I will say after trying these Plantra tubes, I feel they are far better quality than Protex tubes BUT each has it's ups and downs with cost, assembly, etc. All about a guys preference and weighing it out. Just thought I'd mention the option of these Plantra.com tubes I found and started trying/using which seem pretty good- slightly more but quality seems a lot better.
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We did consider the Plantra tubes because they are reasonable and look like good quality.

The other limiting factor with assembled tubes is shipping however:

500 Protex tubes shipped $854
500 Plantra Tubes shipped $1354

So my thoughts are...that's another $500 I can spend on other habitat projects! :D

Keep us posted on the Plantra's Skip! :way:

Plantra Tree Tubes

chicken wire was free
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I love free stuff! Most of my larger trees are proetected with old woven wire fencing that was discarded when new fencing was put in. Cheap and effective!;)
 
DT- see if you get those poly-sleeves with your order. I didn't and I have been mad every time I'm out at the farm & I look at my opened up tubes from last year and frustrated as i re-did almost all of them last week (and I sealed those tabs and assembled perfectly when I originally put on last year). if you didn't get them, it looks like you can order them straight from Protex (same as blue tube folks).... http://www.growtube.com/prices/ REPLACEMENT POLY-SLEEVES. Like I said, forestry suppliers never sent with mine and I've had a very frustrating spring re-doing hundreds of these stinking tubes!!
 
Sligh1 said:
DT- see if you get those poly-sleeves with your order. I didn't and I have been mad every time I'm out at the farm & I look at my opened up tubes from last year and frustrated as i re-did almost all of them last week (and I sealed those tabs and assembled perfectly when I originally put on last year). if you didn't get them, it looks like you can order them straight from Protex (same as blue tube folks).... http://www.growtube.com/prices/ REPLACEMENT POLY-SLEEVES. Like I said, forestry suppliers never sent with mine and I've had a very frustrating spring re-doing hundreds of these stinking tubes!!
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I don't quite see how those would help keep them from coming apart because they go on the inside?

Assembly Instructions

1. Lay a stack of the BLUE-X<SUP>®</SUP> plastic film (Part A) on a flat surface at countertop level in a building or sheltered area.

2. Roll Part A lengthwise into a tube about 2 inches in diameter.

3. Slide the rolled Part A into the polytube (Part B). See drawing A.

4. Even up the ends. Part B should extend up to 1/2 inch above Part A on the top.

5. Place assembled Shelters in large plastic bags for transport to field.
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The Protex tubes so far as I can see aren't offered with any poly sleeves but why couldn't one just use a couple plastic ties around them?
 
dbltree said:
The Protex tubes so far as I can see aren't offered with any poly sleeves but why couldn't one just use a couple plastic ties around them?
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That is what I do with all my tree tubes, I drill extra holes for ventilation and use re-usable zipties that came with my tree pro tubes.
 
I thought poly sleeve went on outside, that's what it looks like in all the photos. part B above looks like the poly sleeve and part A is the tube from my understanding. www.growtube.com/installation/ If you look on installation part of site, you'll see photos, click on them (for example the "stakes only installation") and it looks like poly sleeves on outside- which is what their purpose is, from keeping the tube from opening. In hind-site, I wish I would have done the ties around outside at minimum. I might be wrong on poly sleeve but I'm pretty sure it's on outside (part B) (blue part is called FILM, poly sleeve is called poly tube above). Anyways, sounds like tape or ties are a good way to go.
 
I've had the Blue-X before and they didn't hold up past 2 years. The ties they sent also rusted out and I had some go over. Not as good as zip ties.
 
For the protex tubes are you folding the tabs the long way so that it "locks in"? I have had great luck with mine staying together after I adopted the fold method!
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Another reason I like Protex tubes are because you can "double them up" to make a larger dia. tube!
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I recently planted some black spruce around the outside edge of a great raised bedding area in the middle of my swamp! This is where my big boys hide and I wanted to be extra sure the spruce get off to a good start, so I doubled the protex tubes and will leave the area alone for a year or two then when the tubes are getting too small, I will pull them and let mother nature take over.
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