Old apple tree needed protection

[chickenlittle]

Here is an old apple tree that fell over after beavers got after it. Never thought it needed caged. It was hollow in the middle so it didn't take much to fell it. It was not productive so not a big loss.

 

[Apple Junkie]

I have the same issue with beavers. My bottom orchard is probably 50 to 100 yards from a decent size creek. I found beavers had started chewing the biggest tree I have down there, but luckily, I caught it before too much damage had been done. Now every apple tree has fencing. Thing is, I kinda like knowing the beavers active in the watershed.

 

[cavey]

Your never too old for protection..... right?

A few years back during a harsh winter I lost a large 10 plus year old apple tree to mice girthing it, had another one the same size 75% girthed... couldn't believe it, thought by that size and time the mice wouldn't chew on them... food must have been limited because they even ate through a few of my paper wrappings to get to the bark of some smaller trees... since then its been metal window screen and I even still wrap screen around my bigger/older trees with about 18" tall of screen. I've even tried putting a light coat of pruning tar on the trunks and tossed sand on the fresh sealant as an attempt to keep the mice from eating the bark. Really all a beaver is is a giant mouse anyways! Right!?!

 

[JFK52]

I thought I lost a 30+ year old apple tree to an ice storm a few years back. It completely took the top of the tree to the ground. The weight of the ice on the branches just was too much for the tree to support. I decided to leave it be. A year later it sprouted a new central leader and now is growing just fine.
They are very resilient trees if given half a chance.
Glad I have no beavers anywhere close.

 

[Diesel5610]

Just found one our good trees that Beavers have girdled. Not happy.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Cavey - Post #3 ......... My camp lost 2 big old apple trees a few years ago during a rough winter with lots of deep snow and frozen layers of ice. Mice girdled those trees entirely - even though they had never touched them before that winter. We'll keep aluminum screening around ALL of our trees now !!!

We have no beavers at camp, thank God !! I agree with Apple Junkie though on having beavers in a watershed. They're pretty cool to have around, as long as they don't flood roads or eat your apple trees !!

 

[35-acre]

Cavey - Post #3 ......... My camp lost 2 big old apple trees a few years ago during a rough winter with lots of deep snow and frozen layers of ice. Mice girdled those trees entirely - even though they had never touched them before that winter. We'll keep aluminum screening around ALL of our trees now !!!

We have no beavers at camp, thank God !! I agree with Apple Junkie though on having beavers in a watershed. They're pretty cool to have around, as long as they don't flood roads or eat your apple trees !!

Can someone post a pic of what they do with the screen? I put screen around mine but not sure if it is done the best way possible to protect the tree.

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[Bowsnbucks]

35-acre - - I don't have a picture, but I can describe what I do when I plant new apple, crab, or pear trees.

I cut aluminum window screen sized 15" wide by 2 ft. tall and fold in half lengthwise. I wrap it around the trunk of the tree so the 2 ft. dimension is vertical on the tree. I use a regular paper stapler to then staple the short sides closed to make a 7 1/2" wide "sleeve" around the trunk. I allow enough space at the top of the screen to get my finger between the trunk and the first staple so it's not too tight and lets the trunk expand. ( as the trunk expands as it grows, I usually just pull the next staple loose so the trunk can continue to grow. The trees will rip the staples loose by themselves, but I help them with it !! ) The bottom of the screen I flare out somewhat and bury it under 4" of crushed limestone to keep mice form burrowing into the trunk to chew the bark. The extra work and diligence is worth it - mice and voles will go to any length to get food in the cold of winter. The 2 ft. height of the screen is based on my USUAL local snow depth in most winters so the mice can't walk on top of the snow to chew above the snow. Areas with heavier snow depths may need taller screen.

Larger, older trees need much more screen and a much larger flare at the base. Those screens can be held tight to the ground with landscape staples or a circle of rocks. Either way works.

 

[35-acre]

35-acre - - I don't have a picture, but I can describe what I do when I plant new apple, crab, or pear trees.

I cut aluminum window screen sized 15" wide by 2 ft. tall and fold in half lengthwise. I wrap it around the trunk of the tree so the 2 ft. dimension is vertical on the tree. I use a regular paper stapler to then staple the short sides closed to make a 7 1/2" wide "sleeve" around the trunk. I allow enough space at the top of the screen to get my finger between the trunk and the first staple so it's not too tight and lets the trunk expand. ( as the trunk expands as it grows, I usually just pull the next staple loose so the trunk can continue to grow. The trees will rip the staples loose by themselves, but I help them with it !! ) The bottom of the screen I flare out somewhat and bury it under 4" of crushed limestone to keep mice form burrowing into the trunk to chew the bark. The extra work and diligence is worth it - mice and voles will go to any length to get food in the cold of winter. The 2 ft. height of the screen is based on my USUAL local snow depth in most winters so the mice can't walk on top of the snow to chew above the snow. Areas with heavier snow depths may need taller screen.

Larger, older trees need much more screen and a much larger flare at the base. Those screens can be held tight to the ground with landscape staples or a circle of rocks. Either way works.

Thanks. I did almost exactly that. What I didn't do was bury the screen as deep. Maybe I'll fix that this weekend.

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[cavey]

http://habitat-talk.com/index.php?threads/fruit-tree-window-screen-protection.2119/
credit to CrazyEd: he posted this and it should help answer your question 35-acre

and buy a stapler like this: "Arrow P22, much better than a desktop stapler."