Norway Spruce Bare Root Plantings

[Jayber]

Yesterday I planted 22 Norway Spruce bare roots and have 28 more to go. These came from our local SWCD.

I have 4 rolls of 6' x 50' mesh wire, but that won't get them all. I could cut them down to 3' high then I could get 50 using ~2.5' diameter.

Wondering for those that have planted similar, how many have caged them to protect from browse or will deer leave them alone for the most part?

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[Jayber]

The more reading I do, sounds like browse might not be a problem rather bucks tearing them up once they're 2.5-3 ft tall.

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[Tree Spud]

I have planted 1000's of them and they all get browsed. I have 3-0 norways that have been in the ground for 3 years now and they never get taller than 15-18". Over time the browsing is so heavy the tree dies, or they they can't get tall enough to grow beyond the weed & grass competition.

I now cage everyone I plant. We are now planting 2' plus norways we get from the county and they are all caged with 4.0' high fence. You can get ~ 20, 2'-2.5' diameter cages out of a 100', cost about $3.25/cage. As the spruce grows, I open up one side to let the tree expand. The cages are reusable. The bucks will not rub them either.

Have planted & caged 400 norways so far this spring with this method. Also considering tomato support cages that are about $2 a piece.

We are also planting smaller norways and will use the following ... http://pacforest.com/Category/Bud-Cap-products

 

[Jayber]

Yikes, sounds like I'd better get to putting together some cages!!

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[Tree Spud]

For 28 spruces, I wouldn't hesitate. Keep the height at least 4' tall, anything less they can browse.

 

[Jayber]

It's 50 total and I'm planning on it now. Appears welded wire is now on sale at Menards. My lucky day!

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[Mortenson]

Thanks for the link to the bud caps, Tree Spud. I'm going to order those for my Norways.

 

[dogghr]

Learned my lesson on the first 100 I planted. All but 6 were gone in 4 weeks. I cap them all now on the leader with metal window screen. Easy to do and cheap, just cut enough for upper 4-6 in of leader and staple. Plus acts as a good marker in deep growth when mowing or spraying.

 

[tooln]

In the past few years I've planted over 1300 Norway Spruce, none were browsed. White pine is a different story.

 

[Mortenson]

Learned my lesson on the first 100 I planted. All but 6 were gone in 4 weeks. I cap them all now on the leader with metal window screen. Easy to do and cheap, just cut enough for upper 4-6 in of leader and staple. Plus acts as a good marker in deep growth when mowing or spraying.

Do you just leave them on indefinitely then?

 

[bigeight]

Sounds very site specific. I've put in over 13,000 in the last 3 springs and all have been un-messed with :)

Also might be strength in numbers. They don't stick out as a sign post type for rubbing, and nothing unique that is worth a nibble when they walk by. Just a theory :D

These were all 2-1's

 

[Tree Spud]

In the past few years I've planted over 1300 Norway Spruce, none were browsed. White pine is a different story.

Then you have no deer ...

 

[tooln]

Then you have no deer ...

I've got deer, not a lot but enough.

 

[Tree Spud]

Sounds very site specific. I've put in over 13,000 in the last 3 springs and all have been un-messed with :)

Also might be strength in numbers. They don't stick out as a sign post type for rubbing, and nothing unique that is worth a nibble when they walk by. Just a theory :D

These were all 2-1's

Can't comment unless you ID your location ... I have have seen red ce

I've got deer, not a lot but enough.

Plant more spruce ...

 

[bigeight]

Sorry, these are in Southern MI. They are spread out over a few different properties and are all doing well. Ag areas, all the woods are heavily timbered with plenty of browse.

I would consider them all to have above average deer densities.
We planted them all at 12-14' spacing for bedding. No screening projects and the smallest section of them was 4 acres. Not sure if that makes a difference? I'm just guessing if I put 25 in a row out in the middle of a field they would get some action by rubbing or browsing. Just a guess though. Not willing to try :D

 

[Tree Spud]

Sorry, these are in Southern MI. They are spread out over a few different properties and are all doing well. Ag areas, all the woods are heavily timbered with plenty of browse.

I would consider them all to have above average deer densities.
We planted them all at 12-14' spacing for bedding. No screening projects and the smallest section of them was 4 acres. Not sure if that makes a difference? I'm just guessing if I put 25 in a row out in the middle of a field they would get some action by rubbing or browsing. Just a guess though. Not willing to try :D

Big8 ... thanks for the clarification.

What do you consider "average deer density" for your area?

Our county is shown as 56-60 dpsm, that is average, in some areas even higher based cover, food, etc.

 

[bigeight]

Map says 40 DPSM. We are right on the line. County above says 45+.
Fragmented woodlots in Ag country. Lots of open woodlots, with high hunter densities. Deer flood to our properties during the hunting season. Probably gives me a false impression for the DPSM when we have 40 deer coming out of a 25 acre woodlot during the gun season, and our neighbors with 200 acres of woods have more hunters than deer :D. The deer are definitely around these Norways during the fall and winter, then disperse during the summer.
Probably a lot of factors with browsing on certain species, these are just observations from our situation. :)

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I've planted LOADS of Norways over the years and most of ours never get browsed. I think it depends on your area. We have lots of other more preferable browse items ( oak, maple, poplar, aspen ) and winter food plots, so the Norways are very low on the list. I cage the Norways that I want to definitely survive in specific locations, just for insurance. Other randomly planted spruce, I don't cage.

It's funny how some areas get certain trees browsed, and other areas get no browsing on the same tree varieties. Guys on here get pines hammered - we never get pines browsed.

 

[Bluecollaroutdoors]

This was my third year planting norways and the first year they did not get browsed heavily. Mild winter they were not needed I guess. The first two years they got hammered.

 

[dogghr]

Do you just leave them on indefinitely then?

I usually remove cap after 3-4 years. I got the idea from Brushpile on the old forum I believe. Seems they can grow fast enough then even with browse. They can handle browse as long as the main leader is preserved. If top does get browsed you can cap another upper branch and it will become the main leader and tree survives. Only time I see the heavy browse is late winter when food becomes more scarce. I originally planted Northerns because suppossedly deer dont browse them. Not true for many if you read up on them. They tend to be slow growing at start.
The only conifer I see no browse with is a scotch pine but they have survival issues past 20 years especially in the midwest due to blight.