Seedling protection?

[Yarg]

This subject has probably probably been spoken about many times but why not talk about it some more!!
I'm considering a order of various native shrubs as bare-root seedlings,IE buttonbush, ninebark, elderberry arrowwood, plum, chokeberry, nanaberry, hazelnut and some permission trees for starters..
This is in addition to apple, pear and Chestnut that I'm going to introduce which I realize I need to either cage or tube.
Question is what's the most feasible way for all those little bare-root seedlings under 18 in? I realize planting a whole bunch and hoping for the best is not realistic because of my deer numbers.. I had about a 95% success rate of sprouts coming up from live staking red oiser dogwood but every single one of them that was wasn't protected was browsed. Love to hear some experience! Thanks

 

[MattDDO]

This subject has probably probably been spoken about many times but why not talk about it some more!!
I'm considering a order of various native shrubs as bare-root seedlings,IE buttonbush, ninebark, elderberry arrowwood, plum, chokeberry, nanaberry, hazelnut and some permission trees for starters..
This is in addition to apple, pear and Chestnut that I'm going to introduce which I realize I need to either cage or tube.
Question is what's the most feasible way for all those little bare-root seedlings under 18 in? I realize planting a whole bunch and hoping for the best is not realistic because of my deer numbers.. I had about a 95% success rate of sprouts coming up from live staking red oiser dogwood but every single one of them that was wasn't protected was browsed. Love to hear some experience! Thanks

Any tips for live staking ROD? This is something I want to do on my property. Size of the stake? How deep do you stick it in the ground? Best time of year to do it?

As for blocking deer from browsing your seedlings, can you fence off that area? Snow fence (plastic or the wood/metal) is pretty cheap and easy to install. I've used the wood/metal snow fence on my property to help direct deer movement and it works. They could jump it if they wanted to, but they walk right around it. Might be enough to keep them out of your seedlings.

Good luck!

 

[Yarg]

Any tips for live staking ROD? This is something I want to do on my property. Size of the stake? How deep do you stick it in the ground? Best time of year to do it?

As for blocking deer from browsing your seedlings, can you fence off that area? Snow fence (plastic or the wood/metal) is pretty cheap and easy to install. I've used the wood/metal snow fence on my property to help direct deer movement and it works. They could jump it if they wanted to, but they walk right around it. Might be enough to keep them out of your seedlings.

Good luck!

 

[Yarg]

Hello thank you for your reply.
Live staking rod
As soon as your ground is not frozen would be best time for live staking.
Try to collect your stakes the same day you're going to put them in, if it's still cold out you could do it several days before as long as you leave your bottom submerged in water... I have cut long lengths up to 10 ft and brought them home and submerge them in my pond.. then cut them the day you're going to use them.. I have cut all different diameter.. from quarter-inch right up to 2 in.. lengths of 24"... I want about 18 in the ground 6 in out... I even take the top branches and stick them in wet spots and they sprout..you want to clip off all the buds so all the energy is going to root making... so you can basically use the whole thing and be successful...be sure as you cut them to put them right side up in the bucket..it's very easy to forget and it won't grow if you put it upside down.. I put all my cut stakes be in a 5 gallon bucket with about 4 inches of water..use sharp pruners and you could put an angle cut for the bottom and a flat cut for the top some people dip the tops or paint the tops with latex paint say it prevents drying out.. I didn't do it but you could do that as well... use a piece of rebar I think mine was 3/4 or 5/8 by 5 ft and then just ream the ground hard then I use a sledgehammer to get down to my desired depth. Then insert your stake anywhere from 12 to 18 in that area then I use a rubber mallet to tighten them in but try not to split the top tapping it lightly so it bottoms out, but don't kill it... I also like to scrape up the last two or 3in of the bottom of the stake just to expose the cambium layer to encourage root growth.. r od likes it very wet so I think that is what helped me..I didn't try to put it in any dry sites I put it where water persist and we had a very wet year so I think as long as you keep them fresh get em in the ground deep without splitting them.. and of course protecting them you should have great success God bless