Pruning and tubes ?

[asmith]

Zone 8b, middle GA. Last year I planted some chinkapin oak and chinese chestnut in 5' tubes for the first time for me. I had previously caged everything. I did not prune any of them prior to tubing. Some have been planted one year, some two years. Now I read where it is best to prune off all lateral branches prior to putting on the tubes. So, should I prune off the lateral branches this winter or just leave them as is?
Thanks.

 

[yoderjac]

I'm not sure if there is a good answer to your question. I grew some DCO from seed. They have a propensity to send up multiple shoots. I decided not to prune back branches since these trees are naturally more bushy in nature. I took the risk and planted mine with no protection. As for the chestnuts. I've been working mostly with Dunstan which are a cross between Chinese and American. I'm growing them from nuts. Some seem to take the American form growing tall and straight with no early branching. Others seem to take more of the Chinese form branching early. I've planted some unprotected and some in tubes. Deer don't seek them out on my place. They just take a bite here and there as they browse by the trees. What was happening is that deer were sometimes hitting the central leader and I was getting more of a bush than a tree. So, I started tubing.

I pruned off lateral branch for some trees and left them for others squeezing them into the tube. The ones where I left the lateral branches seemed to congest the tube a bit. I think those where I removed lateral branches tended to branch above the tube. I'm not sure how big of a factor it is. If I tube chestnut trees again, I'll remove lateral branches, but I'm not taking the time and effort to go back and remove tubes, prune lateral branches, and replace the tubes at this point.

Not an answer or recommendation, just passing along my experience for what it is worth.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[asmith]

Will it harm or help the trees if I prune all the laterals in the tubes considering they've been planted one and two years?

 

[yoderjac]

Will it harm or help the trees if I prune all the laterals in the tubes considering they've been planted one and two years?

I can't really say. I'm not bothering to do it with the trees I already have tubed but didn't prune before tubing. Maybe others can chime on the benefits.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[TreeDaddy]

I prune lateral branches of bare root fruit trees when planting to accommodate tree tube

I suspect there are more important contributing variables to seedling vitality/mortality,etc

bill

 

[Neahawg]

I prune mine just because I want all the growth effort going up. I figure there is a good chance you loose those lower branches eventually anyone either from browse pressure or getting shaded out.

 

[rocksnstumps]

I plant oaks and crabapples in 5 ft tubes mostly. They start out as whips or maybe 3 ft tall typically. So for a couple of years I pull the tubes off in the early spring and trim a lot of the lateral branches to a central leader. Maybe leave a few at the top if they are not out of the tube yet. Bend these few branches up when stuffing the tube back on. Once they are out of the tube 2-1/2 to 3 ft I just trim off all the side branches below 5 ft. Sometime I can still stuff the tube back on for a third year, other times I have to cut the tube lengthwise and just go with the window screen stapled along the bottom. Before Fall and chances of getting all tore up with rubbing I either cage around them leaving the window screen on or I have some 6" plastic drain tile split lengthwise that I move around from other trees also.

I think pulling the tubes off and getting rid of side branches and bunched up leaves from previous year is important to promote good form and air circulation in the tube. A bunch of leaves inside a tube also promotes mice to build a nest for overwintering.

 

[yoderjac]

I plant oaks and crabapples in 5 ft tubes mostly. They start out as whips or maybe 3 ft tall typically. So for a couple of years I pull the tubes off in the early spring and trim a lot of the lateral branches to a central leader. Maybe leave a few at the top if they are not out of the tube yet. Bend these few branches up when stuffing the tube back on. Once they are out of the tube 2-1/2 to 3 ft I just trim off all the side branches below 5 ft. Sometime I can still stuff the tube back on for a third year, other times I have to cut the tube lengthwise and just go with the window screen stapled along the bottom. Before Fall and chances of getting all tore up with rubbing I either cage around them leaving the window screen on or I have some 6" plastic drain tile split lengthwise that I move around from other trees also.

I think pulling the tubes off and getting rid of side branches and bunched up leaves from previous year is important to promote good form and air circulation in the tube. A bunch of leaves inside a tube also promotes mice to build a nest for overwintering.

Just some food for thought: If you want more upward growth, bend those top branches down instead of up in the tube. Young trees will send more energy to the highest point. Bent up, they will compete more with your central leader than if bent down.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[rocksnstumps]

I like to bend them up as a backup cause more than a few times the central leader even inside the tube gets trashed by wasp nest or whatever and find a side shoot becomes the new trunk. Anything bent down is always gonna be cut off later and would have to clip back above a good bud down lower. Just my experience that I like the insurance policy.

 

[asmith]

I plant oaks and crabapples in 5 ft tubes mostly. They start out as whips or maybe 3 ft tall typically. So for a couple of years I pull the tubes off in the early spring and trim a lot of the lateral branches to a central leader. Maybe leave a few at the top if they are not out of the tube yet. Bend these few branches up when stuffing the tube back on.

My trees have been planted 1 and 2 years. Will it kill the tree if I remove all the branches now? They are oaks and chestnuts.

 

[yoderjac]

I like to bend them up as a backup cause more than a few times the central leader even inside the tube gets trashed by wasp nest or whatever and find a side shoot becomes the new trunk. Anything bent down is always gonna be cut off later and would have to clip back above a good bud down lower. Just my experience that I like the insurance policy.

True.

My trees have been planted 1 and 2 years. Will it kill the tree if I remove all the branches now? They are oaks and chestnuts.

Unless you are removing a high percentage of the foliage it certainly shouldn't kill the tree to remove them.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[rocksnstumps]

If trees are still not out of the tube yet, i do not trim them all. But trim more heavily than the general 1/3 max pruning rule more like 2/3 when tree is young and vigorous. Dont think trimming all would kill them but still want some to grow more leaves and not stunt future growth. Once they reach 8 ft + i trim all the ones 5 ft and below. Is this the best way dunno but works for me.