Critique my Vole guard method

[BobinCt]

I just did this today to get feedback on it. This is not a real apple tree and the illustration isn’t perfect , but hopefully it’s enough for you guys to get the idea of what I’m thinking.
Picture 1: is a pic of a 4 inch piece of hardware cloth . It’s about 6 inches from base of tree and the top is level with soil. It’s obviously going to be 4 inches down into the soil.
Pic 2: tree planted with window screen and made sure window screen will be 3 inches below soil line.
Pic 3: hardware cloth placed about 2 ft out from base of tree. This will be tightened up with 6 inch landscape staples so it’s ground level and not bulging.
Pic4: hardware cloth will be placed on the exterior around the tree about 6 inches deep . The top will be level with the ground. It’s sticking up here just to show you my idea.
Pic5: stone be placed on top. Also, landscape fabric with be placed over the hardware cloth 2 ft out with stone placed on top of hardware cloth. Finally, the 5 ft welder wire fence with be last.
Please give me your thoughts if it’s worth doing. My concern is the tree roots if they grow into the hardware cloth. Also, will the voles just dig down below the cloth?

 

[Tree Spud]

I would also be concerned with how they impact root growth. Remember that apple trees send out feeder roots sometime 15-20' out to within 6" of the soil surface.

 

[H20fwler]

You may be overthinking it a little but your enthusiasm is awesome.

If your vole issues are that severe I would use some aluminum screen instead of the hardware cloth I think roots might be able to push through or tear screen easier.
Or you could just go deeper with the window screen when planting put it as deep as you can until it hits roots and leave it at that. Only staple what is above ground.
I fold my screen over at the top so that mice/voles can’t climb in.

 

[BobinCt]

Do you think it will affect the growth of the tree if I put the window screen down until it hits the roots when I plant? I don’t have vole problems with my trees now and I got about 35. That don’t mean I won’t ever have problems . I got 35 more coming in the Spring. I’m just trying to protect them the best possibly way. I already like the idea of just using the window screen around the tree instead of the hardware cloth. The window screen is easier to work with , too.

 

[Bill]

I think you’re good with just the window screen. That’s all I do and I have voles. They killed the first trees I planted and didn’t protect.

 

[H20fwler]

Do you think it will affect the growth of the tree if I put the window screen down until it hits the roots when I plant? I don’t have vole problems with my trees now and I got about 35. That don’t mean I won’t ever have problems . I got 35 more coming in the Spring. I’m just trying to protect them the best possibly way. I already like the idea of just using the window screen around the tree instead of the hardware cloth. The window screen is easier to work with , too.

I put window screen in ground (6”-8”) and it has never bothered my trees that I know of.
Just don’t start stapling until above the dirt line.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Just don’t start stapling until above the dirt line.

THIS! You don't want to "strangle" your trees as they grow - which will be wider at the bases.

My camp has a terrible mouse / vole problem in the fields. We only use aluminum window screen, stapled ABOVE ground. As the trees grow and expand, they'll usually rip the staples loose on their own, but you can help the trees by removing the staples yourself too. When the staples are above ground - that's then possible. We also make our screens about 24" to 30" tall to cover snow depth we may get, so mice / voles can't walk on top of the snow to chew the bark. I usually flare the base of the window screen outward at the bottom, which I put about 3 inches below the soil to intercept any tunnelling mice or voles. I haven't had a problem with that method. As the tree base / roots get wider at the bottom, the flared screen "gives way" to the expanding tree base since it's already flared. Straight, tight stapling of the screen at the bottom would most likely cut into the tree base and possibly kill the tree.

Methods I learned from others on here and from local orchardists and nursery owners. NOT my genius ......... it's someone else's!! I just pass it along.

 

[bigboreblr]

Here's what happens when you do it wrong. Found 2 more today... Thinking food plots and young apple trees don't mix too well. You go into the brush around my property, there's nibbled stuff mostly vines. These are plum trees I planted last year. Nie easy to dig loose soil ammended, a weed mat, mulch, then a nice secluded cage with weeds growing around it. A nice yard for the voles to play in..... My antonovka bareroots are planted similarly nd not bothered. Same with my fall planted whitetail crabs. Going to go to stone and some aluminum mesh like on there. Might be to late to dig down 6 inches, will go shallow, maybe an inch. Was going to plant a row of clover between the trees, like I did with the older trees mixed in with the plums. The clover mowed every 3 weeks on high now has tons of runways from voles in it. Lifted the weedmate of the bareroots and whitetail crabs here n there, no signs like the plums did. Wondered a bit why the bareroots did better. Really thinking it was distance from tall grass.... I transplanted spruce trees alongside the foodplot, do voles bother evergreens? Not seeing much if anything with 4 years of white spruce alongside the brushline between my home and the neighbors.



Sent a little message to the voles, some nice green bricks as a thank you.......

 

[bigboreblr]

You guys buy 36" or 48" fabric? Also, how big a diameter you use? I caged the apple trees with 1/4" hardware fabric above ground only, so far they havent been attacked.

I planted spruce trees and toringo crabapples a few years ago. They more or less got my loamy clay soil. The plum trees which only been attacked so far were transplanted from 10 inch diameter 28 inch deep pots of nice pretty loose soil, then ammended a bit in the holes. Forgot exactly how I dug them in, but sure I made the soil fluffy and not compacted.as much as I did the fall trees atleast. Rototilled the heck out of the apple trees areas.

I understand using stone keeps the voles out, just feel like I should put the stone as a nuisance, then the landscape fabric, then more stone. This would be in addition to the alunimum fabric.

 

[homerj]

There's a few reasons commercial orchards are kept mowed short, removing as much cover for voles and other rodents is one of them.

"Voles are primarily forage and root feeders, preferring succulent grasses and legumes. Established stands of alfalfa, clovers and other legumes often develop large vole populations."

Controlling Vole Damage in No-Till Corn and Soybeans

Row crop production using conservation tillage farming systems has expanded dramatically in recent years throughout Missouri. No-till systems typically involve minimal soil disturbance in fields where plant residues cover about 90 percent of the soil surface. The conservation and agronomic...

extension.missouri.edu

 

[bigboreblr]

Here's what whitetail crabs ay about rodents. Sounds like the same advice as on here.

Rodent Protection​

Rodents can be a problem during the winter months or in areas where grass/herbaceous growth is not maintained. Several measures can be taken to ensure protection. The most common method is using conventional plastic tree wrap around the trunk. Plastic tree wraps are cost effective, quick, and sufficient in most locations. If you are still finding rodent damage on the trunk or root system after conventional tree wraps, a second more permanent method is to establish a 24-inch tall x 8-inch in diameter fence (typically around 1/4 to 1/2 inch screen holes) around the base of the tree. This type of fencing is common at most hardware stores. We recommend installing the fence 3-4 inches into the ground and then staking the fence and tying wire through the fence and around each stake so that the fence does not ride up.

As an added measure of protection in high rodent areas, several inches of gravel can be placed inside the screen and around the base of each tree at a minimum 2-foot diameter.

 

[bigboreblr]

I am redoing a porch while the weather is mild. I moved a pile of wood, and saw a nasty trails of death...... They were eating the grass roots under it.

This made me think of way to trap them. Put a piece of plywood down with some mice poison. I saved a few pieces of wood to give this a try.

 

[buckdeer1]

Be careful if you take your dogs and you put those green blocks out.Dogs really like the taste.If they eat one all you can do is give them some peroxide to make them throw up.My issue with voles or gophers don't know which has always been under ground.I used the stapled screen wire.I did notice there were some gophers the other day so I will set traps this weekend and that will take care of them

 

[bigboreblr]

I've seen the voles many times at my home. Never seen a gopher. Most travel lanes are just opening between the grass.

Haven't had a dog in 4 years over here. In-laws live next door, but always ;leash their dogs.

I have been using mice posion for years in the garage and shed. The cat hasn't messed with a sick mouse yet. He likes a lively chase.

 

[Ruffdude]

Another reason to keep grasses mowed around our fruit trees, it gives the owls and hawks a better view of the prey. I think that's why gravel around the base has grown in popularity or maybe it's just an added secondary benefit but avian predators success is better when they can see the mice and voles and rabbits. Help them work for you.

 

[bigboreblr]

Curious if anyone as done a hybrid weedmat approach. Rocks under the mat to upset the voles, and bark mulch or wood chips above the weed guard. Maybe in my case curb appeal.

Got $512 bucks of stone delivered yesterday. Sure dont look like a $500 pile from the local gravel company. Saving some for my trees, mostly the driveway's getting it.

 

[Fair oak]

Anyone care to critique my apple tree planting and cages, rodent guards, etc.? Just finished the last apple tree planting for the year. Put in 4 of the 30-06 from Whitetail crabs and they look very nice. I also planted 3 dolgo, 2 liberty, 1 enterprise, 2 Kerr and 2 buckman about 2 weeks ago and I’m starting to see signs of life.

I’m not really fond of the hardware cloth for rodent guards. Wasn’t sure if I should’ve buried the bottom a couple inches? I just put 4 landscape staples through the bottom to hold them in place so we’ll see. Everything else went pretty well.

 

[BobinCt]

I think it looks good , but I would have liked to see you put aluminum window screen around the trees. My concern is that the voles/mice will crawl up those and get into the base of your tree and eat away.

 

[Fair oak]

I’ll pick up some aluminum window screen for all 14 trees. I really want these trees to have the best chance possible and I was already questioning exactly what you described with the rodents climbing. Should the window screen be buried a little bit? Just wrap it around and staple it together?

 

[BobinCt]

I’d bury it a couple inches. Make sure it’s aluminum window screen. I staple mine every 2 inches all the way up. Make sure it’s stapled like an inch on top from the top of the tree so they can’t squeeze in . The growth of the tree will pop the staple off. On mine, I didn’t bury a couple inches on the base and wish I did but I also put stone on top of the weed fabric . Lots of people don’t use anything on top of weed fabric which is fine. I don’t think u can go wrong with the window screen. I don’t blame you for wanting the best chance for survival . It’s a lot of work, time and $ planting them. I did 35 this year .