Landscape fabric for new fruit trees?

[crashnrondo]

I'm changing out a tiny food plot to more of a deer orchard this spring, it's only about the size of a small city lot. I already have 4 apple trees I planted a few years ago along side the plot but now I'm going to be adding 5 crabs and another 2 apple trees. I plan on caging them and protecting the trunks with screen like the current trees but I've struggled with weed control on the existing trees. Can I use weed mat/landscape fabric under a layer of mulch or will that cause problems with fruit trees? I sprayed some roundup last summer but I was so worried about harming the trees it hardly even slowed the weeds down.

 

[buckdeer1]

You can just watch as I had issue with voles,don't know what zone you are in but have you thought about pears?Also are you making sure and buy disease resistant trees for whatever is in your area? Fireblight for pears and CAR for apples usually

 

[Derek Reese 29]

I do a 3x3’ section of weed mat with about a 3” deep layer of limestone screenings on top. I use 1 5 gallon bucket of the screenings per tree and it usually covers out to the edges of my 10’ circumference cages. The weeds will grow around the outside of the cage and are easy to weed whack or spray.

 

[crashnrondo]

You can just watch as I had issue with voles,don't know what zone you are in but have you thought about pears?Also are you making sure and buy disease resistant trees for whatever is in your area? Fireblight for pears and CAR for apples usuallyI

I'm in 4b. I bought from a vendor I saw recommended on this sight, Midwest Deer Trees and everything I bought is good for a zone 3-8. Last year I went through and put weed mat on a bunch existing conifers and hardwoods, It may have been a coincidence but all the conifers and burr oaks did great, but 4 white birch trees died way back. I ran out of mat material so 1 birch tree didn't get the treatment and that one continued to grow just fine. This is why I'm hesitant to do the same to newly planted crab trees. Thanks

 

[Derek Reese 29]

I'm in 4b. I bought from a vendor I saw recommended on this sight, Midwest Deer Trees and everything I bought is good for a zone 3-8. Last year I went through and put weed mat on a bunch existing conifers and hardwoods, It may have been a coincidence but all the conifers and burr oaks did great, but 4 white birch trees died way back. I ran out of mat material so 1 birch tree didn't get the treatment and that one continued to grow just fine. This is why I'm hesitant to do the same to newly planted crab trees. Thanks

I would say if nothing else it eliminates water competition for the tree from the weeds and grasses. Those ones you matted were they larger trees? I definitely think the mats help with the younger trees getting established.

 

[crashnrondo]

I would say if nothing else it eliminates water competition for the tree from the weeds and grasses. Those ones you matted were they larger trees? I definitely think the mats help with the younger trees getting established.

Thanks for the reply. Less competition for water was my thought as well, all the trees I matted were bare root trees that were in the ground for 3 months-1 year. I'd say they were between 3-5 feet tall at the time. The birch all dropped the leaves then sprouted new smaller leaves from the base near the ground. The unmated tree just kept growing like before.

 

[b116757]

I’ve got 90 or so fruit trees with 3x3 weed mats I will clarify that I don’t have a huge vole population with my high hawk population they aren’t to bad for me. I know some of the guys that have high vole issues cover their weed mats with rock.

 

[b116757]

 

[b116757]

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These are the one’s I’ve been using they have the x I like them better than the ones with a single split version.

 

[bigboreblr]

some sites say if you use wood chips, do not use a weed mat. Besides field mice / voles, you can have insects living under the mat. Ants can girdle trees from underneath. Ants can also nibble the leaves, seems more at the leaf veins. After the leaf has been damaged, aphids can feed on the damage sites.

I put ant killer on my trees a few times a year.

The stones on top of the weed mat puts pressure on soil. IT discourages voles from wanting to dig there. They find easier paths to follow. I also put some crushed stone under the weed mat. Voles don't want to dig through the stone.

Many folks on this site also put a smaller cage around the trunk. 1/4" mesh or window sceen, usually about 3ft tall and about 2 feet of material to fit a 8 inch or so trunk. This is addition to at least 10ft of 4 feet tall 2x2 inch fencing. Probably 15 feet of 5ft tall is ideal.

The small stuff around the trunk prevents mice and rabbits from girdling the trunk and roots. Some rabbits can fit inside the 2x2 mesh. Places where snow gets real high may need taller screening.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I do a 3x3’ section of weed mat with about a 3” deep layer of limestone screenings on top. I use 1 5 gallon bucket of the screenings per tree and it usually covers out to the edges of my 10’ circumference cages. The weeds will grow around the outside of the cage and are easy to weed whack or spray.

THIS. ^ ^ ^ ^ Mice and voles don't like / can't tunnel into the stone screenings. We've done this same method at our camp with great results.

 

[BuckSnort]

Things you can do to reduce grass competition will definitely help, especially if you’re only planting a small number of trees. I had good intentions when I started but quickly realized that I grafted too many trees and planting & caging take way more time than you think. I had all I could do just to get them all in the ground and fenced. Sometimes you just have to do your best, especially if you don’t live on the property.

 

[crashnrondo]

That was a great video for a guy just learning about fruit trees like me.

 

[crashnrondo]

Things you can do to reduce grass competition will definitely help, especially if you’re only planting a small number of trees. I had good intentions when I started but quickly realized that I grafted too many trees and planting & caging take way more time than you think. I had all I could do just to get them all in the ground and fenced. Sometimes you just have to do your best, especially if you don’t live on the property.

Thanks! The food plot I'm changing over is not much help and takes a ton of effort. Between tilling and planting twice a year, fencing and taking the fence down, plus it turns into bare dirt in 2 weeks after the fence comes down so the draw quickly goes away. II was hoping to plant, weed mat, cage, fertilize yearly and prune maybe every other year then walk away. Caging and pruning doesn't scare me but do you need to keep grafting to get or keep up production?

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Thanks! The food plot I'm changing over is not much help and takes a ton of effort. Between tilling and planting twice a year, fencing and taking the fence down, plus it turns into bare dirt in 2 weeks after the fence comes down so the draw quickly goes away. II was hoping to plant, weed mat, cage, fertilize yearly and prune maybe every other year then walk away. Caging and pruning doesn't scare me but do you need to keep grafting to get or keep up production?

You don't need to keep grafting (to the same trees) once you've grafted scion from a variety you want, onto a rootstock. Once a graft "takes" (heals) you just treat the grafted tree like any other. Plant it, water it, cage it, & screen the trunk to keep mice from chewing all the bark off the trunk, etc.

 

[bigboreblr]

I use regular weedmats from the store. You cna make them as big as you like. Over time plants will poke through the little holes. Covering them with mulch makes them more atractive for weeds to start above the mat, then try to poke through the mat. Stone is better. Much of my trees are at home, so I can work on them often.

I actually do hybrid. I put a 3x3 mat around the trunk with stone. Then, between the stone and the rest of the cage, just do wood chips.

Also, wood is nice to convert to good top layer of soil. But, I believe rotting woods is an invitation for ants. Another animal out to get your trees.

Even my cat messes with my trees. Likes to dig scenting holes around them........

IF you only have a small bit of stone to work with, mix it with the sil right around the trunk. The voles will not want to dig through it. This would be in addition to cagng right around the tree for voles.

 

[TenPoint]

I'm in 4b. I bought from a vendor I saw recommended on this sight, Midwest Deer Trees and everything I bought is good for a zone 3-8. Last year I went through and put weed mat on a bunch existing conifers and hardwoods, It may have been a coincidence but all the conifers and burr oaks did great, but 4 white birch trees died way back. I ran out of mat material so 1 birch tree didn't get the treatment and that one continued to grow just fine. This is why I'm hesitant to do the same to newly planted crab trees. Thanks

Matted trees will grow faster than unmatted/uncontrolled weeds. Just keep them away from the trunk a few inches to avoid girdling. I don't put anything over the matting. I've never had problems w/ rodents doing it this way. Only problems I have is if I don't window screen the trunk for over-winter protection. Also in 4b.