chickenlittle
5 year old buck +
We direct seeded 45 sites with chestnuts a few weeks before last frost, mid/late April. 2 germinated nuts in each, protected with a can and plastic mesh tube. Luckily there wasn't any top growth yet when my nephew stubbornly sprayed herbicide right next to them despite clear instructions. 2 weeks ago, every one looked good and some were at the top of the 18" mesh tube. It was time to remove the nuts and put on 4ft tubes.
But I ran out of time. Then wife had other plans for me last weekend. Then my dad says that something was getting into them. Darn it.
I had today off so I planned to tube whatever was left. Like the picture shows, squirrels were chewing the plastic mesh at the top of the cans, chewing off trees and getting the nuts. Some trees were eaten off down to the ground. I removed all remaining nuts and tubed. Only a handful were untouched yet. Maybe half had one of the seedlings intact. Good chance the rest might still leaf out. Hopefully the squirrels won't be a further problem but I put out a live trap with some of the removed nuts to maybe get the worst offenders.
Just wish I had done it 2 weeks ago before the squirrels started on them.
But I ran out of time. Then wife had other plans for me last weekend. Then my dad says that something was getting into them. Darn it.
I had today off so I planned to tube whatever was left. Like the picture shows, squirrels were chewing the plastic mesh at the top of the cans, chewing off trees and getting the nuts. Some trees were eaten off down to the ground. I removed all remaining nuts and tubed. Only a handful were untouched yet. Maybe half had one of the seedlings intact. Good chance the rest might still leaf out. Hopefully the squirrels won't be a further problem but I put out a live trap with some of the removed nuts to maybe get the worst offenders.
Just wish I had done it 2 weeks ago before the squirrels started on them.