Recent content by Ruffdude

They are a vinyl type fiber reinforced material, they have a memory and wrap themselves around the tree with little hassle. Should expand as tree grows. You have to check them periodically as a few have either blown off( not likely) or porcupines pull them off. I have used them for about 5 years...

I have used these tubes with great success. Combitube But eventually you will need to cage the tree because deer just give them a haircut as it emerges from the tube. Today, I have moved away from tubes and simply wrap the tree and cage it from the start. These wraps are economical and seem...

This is the tag I use too. I use a golf tee to write on them, they do get chewed on occasionally, porcupines I think, maybe coons??? I attach them to the cage, not sure how I will attach to the tree when fence is removed but I like the insulated copper wire idea.

Not worth it in my opinion. You only have room for another 10 trees you say, just buy time, the cost is relatively low, nursery trees will jump your orchard ahead years over waiting for grafted samples to catch up.

Keep your dogs out of it if you have dogs. It can kill them. Many of the foxtails are mean seeds with a barbed awn. Not good for canines.

This is the one I have been watching. It produces fruit every year no matter the weather pattern. It's in the right of way so I'm going to help myself when the time is right. Picture from today 12-24-23.

If I was spending Savage money I would buy a Ruger. Next level up Howa, CVA, Bergara, Tikka. After those mid level options I call them the skies the limit. Never before have highly precise economical rifles and optics been this available. It's a good thing hunter numbers are crashing(not...

Don't make your clearcuts too small, the deer browse will stop it from ever regenerating if enough acres are not cut together. In my county they recommend 20 acre minimum for aspen regen but our forester says 30, we usually do 40's. We did a 7 acre cut once and it looks like a desert to this...

Yes, I’m told that’s why they remove them.

My Club blows Oak leaves off plots before doing any work in the Spring.

I wouldn't waste two minutes working red oaks in my neighborhood of NE lower Michigan. Unfortunately they will all be dead soon as oak wilt as took hold here. Yeah it will take decades likely so for now we put our efforts into White oak varieties and cross our fingers.

This one resides in my dog yard, it was here when we bought the place and it has produced fruit every year. I try to keep it check growth wise and clean up the inside of it annually. This year is a record crop, best I have seen in 12 years. I'm not sure what species it is, oriental crab...

I have one in my backyard, coons broke the central leader so I am training a new one but it still produces a solid amount of fruit each year.

What's the soil like? If it's sandy and dries out quickly then putting them in a spot where it gets fewer hours of direct sunlight may benefit the tree in the long run. I try to put wildlife trees in the NW corner of openings so they get that early morning and midday sun but that scorching...

I have a Washington hawthorn that I got in a packet from Arbor day foundation that I thought would never produce fruit. Lo and behold this year after some leaves dropped I see the first fruit on it. It's been in the ground 6 years I believe. Stay patient.