Mouse proof long term guard

Tree Spud

5 year old buck +
The first trees i planted are all starting to grow enough trunk diameter that I may have to do new mouse guards. I came up with a new approach that hopefully will be a better solution.

I have taken 1/4 mesh which is 24" tall and cut into 24' long section. I think tightly roll to create a spiral. I then thread around the tree. The goal is that as the tree grows, the tree will expand and keep the guard against the trunk. The guard should be large enough that it will accommodate up to a 10" 12" diameter trunk.

As it is easy to remove, should make cutting back shoots & suckers easier also.

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I think you’re going to have to expand them at some point. Oddly enough I don’t think the tree will grow fast enough to do it. The tree will just slowly grow into the mesh.
 
I think Bill might be right, but I like the idea. You could still open them a bit a couple of times of year yourself. At least this way you have the material already on site it will just take some adjustment.
 
That's the goal, easily adjustable without removing ties or staples and enough material for a very long time.
 
The fact it doesn't have a lid on it would still allow mice inside. Would they make a nest in there as is, or being see through, unlike a tree tube, would they shy away? Is mouse girdle even an issue?
 
The fact it doesn't have a lid on it would still allow mice inside. Would they make a nest in there as is, or being see through, unlike a tree tube, would they shy away? Is mouse girdle even an issue?

Mouse girdle is a huge issue for unprotected apple trees. Lost 10 trees last year. Have not had mice climb up to build a nest. They generally tunnel through the snow and the screen/mesh stops them.
 
I just use window screen and staple with a stapler.Mice don't seem to want to be in open so keeping grass down helps
 
Yep, aluminum window screen cut extra large and stapled like a sleeve. I have trees 8-9 years old splitting the screen off now by pulling the staples out as they grow. I am replacing with even bigger pieces of screening, I don’t want to even risk girdling on bigger trees with the time I have invested in them.
I will take a few picks later today.
 
For me, rabbits are the real home wreckers. Even worse up north is the snowshoe hare. They can easily stand up 2 feet, then add snow..... Have to go 4ft atleast.

MY tree source recommended mole guards. Screen mesh underground...... My cat comes home with black colored field mice, i thought they were voles. Been awhile since I looked at one well. Going to double check they're not moles. This my my home near a backyard food plot, near a brush fence hedgerow. Don't really see much of any holes in the ground in the yard. Those black mice run pretty good, really doubt a mole can make some speed.
 
Moles eat grubs/invertebrates. They don't kill apple trees/roots.
 
Moles eat grubs/invertebrates. They don't kill apple trees/roots.
What about gophers? I had to poison some late this fall near my up north orchard. I’m pretty sure I got it, but I haven’t been back since the beginning of November.
 
What about gophers? I had to poison some late this fall near my up north orchard. I’m pretty sure I got it, but I haven’t been back since the beginning of November.
Pocket gophers will raise hell with fruit tree roots. Lined ground squirrels can do some damage, but they aren't as bad to deal with as pocket gophers.
 
Voles are nasty little SOBs as well. We had a bunch of root damage last winter from voles in the nursery, and that was after I felt like I had killed a good many of them.
 
Voles are nasty little SOBs as well. We had a bunch of root damage last winter from voles in the nursery, and that was after I felt like I had killed a good many of them.
I would guess that voles and rabbits/hares do the vast majority of damage to fruit tree roots/trunks.
 
While deer hunting I noticed a few window screens that need some fresh staples. On my to-do list sooner than later.
 
Just now, screens I need to replace. Trees are outgrowing them and popping the staples. Going to put really big ones on them soon.

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Yep, aluminum window screen cut extra large and stapled like a sleeve. I have trees 8-9 years old splitting the screen off now by pulling the staples out as they grow. I am replacing with even bigger pieces of screening, I don’t want to even risk girdling on bigger trees with the time I have invested in them.
I will take a few picks later today.
So most of my trees have window screen on them that are 10" x 18"-24" square, folded in half 5" w x 18" H and stapled up ... when they split the staples I simply turn them sideways and staple them up again 18-24" wide by 10" high --- the older trees seem to only need that 3-5" of protection around the base. With the volume of trees I have to cut some corners its a way of getting the most out of the screen. We usually do not see more than 18-24" of snow cover - if I think I have an area that might have rabbit issues I will go higher but this works in a general approach.
 
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