Apple Tree Planted - What Now?

[SwampCat]

I contacted the nursery I purchased the trees from and they said wait until next year to prune or head. I have found, where I live, anything around the trunk of the tree - tree tubes, screen, etc - is an invite for fireants to set up house keeping. I have never had a tree trunk damaged by a chewing critter. We have squirrels - but no rats, mice, or rabbits. I have some fruit trees that have been in the ground for 15 years

 

[KwebChestnut]

I contacted the nursery I purchased the trees from and they said wait until next year to prune or head. I have found, where I live, anything around the trunk of the tree - tree tubes, screen, etc - is an invite for fireants to set up house keeping. I have never had a tree trunk damaged by a chewing critter. We have squirrels - but no rats, mice, or rabbits. I have some fruit trees that have been in the ground for 15 years

That's great seems like I've got all sorts of Critters that want to chew on my stuff. The mice do a lot of damage in the winter for me and voles

 

[H20fwler]

That's great seems like I've got all sorts of Critters that want to chew on my stuff. The mice do a lot of damage in the winter for me and voles

Me too...they climb three foot up the screen to girdle trees in that back of my pasture whether I have snow or not.

 

[SwampCat]

Me too...they climb three foot up the screen to girdle trees in that back of my pasture whether I have snow or not.

I guess having so many predators that you have no rats, mice, rabbits, turkeys, quail, or any other ground nesting animal has it advantages.

 

[H20fwler]

I guess having so many predators that you have no rats, mice, rabbits, turkeys, quail, or any other ground nesting animal has it advantages.

I don't know if that is an advantage or not...I like to have bunnies/turkeys/quail and ground nesting birds around, don't even mind a few deer mice but voles are just rude and breed like cock roaches. I see smaller hawks like kestrels sharp shinned and coopers and we have a pair of fox on the farm but voles must reproduce almost weekly the way their population is. Every year I say I'm going to put out some bait stations for them but get busy and distracted in the fall and never get around to it. The first good cold snap we get and the little bastards start climbing up my screening and eating bark but only on the back side of our pasture.

 

[SwampCat]

I don't know if that is an advantage or not...I like to have bunnies/turkeys/quail and ground nesting birds around, don't even mind a few deer mice but voles are just rude and breed like cock roaches. I see smaller hawks like kestrels sharp shinned and coopers and we have a pair of fox on the farm but voles must reproduce almost weekly the way their population is. Every year I say I'm going to put out some bait stations for them but get busy and distracted in the fall and never get around to it. The first good cold snap we get and the little bastards start climbing up my screening and eating bark but only on the back side of our pasture.

I would gladly take some girdled trees if we had some rabbits, turkeys, and quail.

 

[bigbendmarine]

Cant help but wonder if climate plays a factor in the girdling? Have LOTS of bunnies, rats, and mice around and knocking on wood haven't had the first tree girdled and that's without any screen used but instead tree tubes that they could easily get into (blu-x tubes that tab together and could easily be pushed open). Being in North FL snows never an issue, only get a few frosts, and even in January and February there's green growth to be found.

 

[SwampCat]

Cant help but wonder if climate plays a factor in the girdling? Have LOTS of bunnies, rats, and mice around and knocking on wood haven't had the first tree girdled and that's without any screen used but instead tree tubes that they could easily get into (blu-x tubes that tab together and could easily be pushed open). Being in North FL snows never an issue, only get a few frosts, and even in January and February there's green growth to be found.

I think the severity of winter does have something to do with it - at least it sounds like the northern folks on this forum perceive girdling to be a problem. The only animal I would be concerned about when talking about girdling would be a beaver.

 

[trampledbyturtles]

Cottontails are a thorn in my heel.
Little buggers get a few every year.
Smaller mesh cages is the only way I can cope.