The trouble with tree tubes

[Hoytvectrix]

I use rebar stakes some 1/2” and some 3/8” and also have few on 5/8” copper coated ground rods. For a bit rockier ground the 5/8 ground rod or 1/2” rebar is best. I bought a couple hundred of the 1/2” rebar one year and the next it made such price jump I bought enough 3/8 rebar for 300 more then I have the rest on 5/8 ground rod and a very few on T-posts. I don’t care to use T-posts for tubes and have hundreds of used ones laying around. I do use use them for cages.

What is your hesitation with using the T-posts for tubes? Just the extra work for getting them in the ground? I am like you and have several hundred around and am considering using them with tubes this season. I did pick up 6 ft reflector fiberglass stakes on sale again and will use them until I run out.

 

[b116757]

They are pretty rigid but it’s a bit of a pain to raise the tubes for maintenance maybe it would be better if you faced the nibs in towards the tube on the few I’ve used I had them facing away from the tube so the zip tie couldn’t slide past them easily pain in my backside for maintenance cleaning/pruning. My favorite of the things I’ve used is 1/2” rebar I bought a bundle and cut them at at 80” with a hot saw I can cut a bundle in idk 30 min maybe.

 

[TreeDaddy]

Headed over to the farm today and had a couple tree tubes off their stakes. Didn't know if I should blame the recent storms, someone, or something. Luckily I caught one of the perps on trail cam. This is why we can't have nice things...

View attachment 50505

I love this video!!!!!

As do 20 others

bill

 

[b116757]

I’ve had a few tubes removed from the stakes but it’s always the smooth ground rod stakes. The rebar have a bit of traction not enough to make maintenance a pain but enough to keep most critters from removing them at least very easily.

 

[Wild Thing]

What is your hesitation with using the T-posts for tubes? Just the extra work for getting them in the ground? I am like you and have several hundred around and am considering using them with tubes this season. I did pick up 6 ft reflector fiberglass stakes on sale again and will use them until I run out.

Make sure you wear gloves when handling those fiberglas stakes. After a while they get weathered and you can pick up some real nasty splinters in your hands from them.

 

[rocksnstumps]

They are pretty rigid but it’s a bit of a pain to raise the tubes for maintenance maybe it would be better if you faced the nibs in towards the tube on the few I’ve used I had them facing away from the tube so the zip tie couldn’t slide past them easily pain in my backside for maintenance cleaning/pruning. My favorite of the things I’ve used is 1/2” rebar I bought a bundle and cut them at at 80” with a hot saw I can cut a bundle in idk 30 min maybe.

The tree tubes I bought yrs ago, think tree pro came with black reusable zip ties. They work great even after being out many yrs and don't have to worry about moving past the bumps on a t-post.

Only time I replace zip ties is when the deer chew on the ends and mess up the ribbing.....dang critters

 

[b116757]

I have lots of the Tree Pro tubes with the reusable zip ties they break with some regularity when working with the tubes we normally just carry a jag of new ones with us when cleaning/pruning. To be honest I’ve been somewhat disappointed in the quality of their zip ties.

 

[rocksnstumps]

Spose they change suppliers every so often and quality may suffer. Have had good luck with those acquired many yrs ago. Have seen mention the black ones offer the best uv protection.

 

[Wild Thing]

I have lots of the Tree Pro tubes with the reusable zip ties they break with some regularity when working with the tubes we normally just carry a jag of new ones with us when cleaning/pruning. To be honest I’ve been somewhat disappointed in the quality of their zip ties.

Yep - Zip ties are cheap. Just buy a large bag of them and replace the broken ones as needed. No big deal. ThevTree Pro tubes can be used over and over again for many years.

 

[TreeDaddy]

Yep - Zip ties are cheap. Just buy a large bag of them and replace the broken ones as needed. No big deal. ThevTree Pro tubes can be used over and over again for many years.

I buy them 1000 at a time at home depot and use them as much as i do surveyor flags/tape, duct tape and other habitat essentials

bill

 

[TheGroveEstate]

What time of year do you guys pull your tubes to inspect/clean out old leaves and prune up the trunk?
Has anyone used Tubex Combitube Tree Shelters? I've only used 10 thus far, but they seem to be a good product - very similar in design to the Tree Pro Miracle Tubes.
I've learned the hard way with Redbud seedlings that had just poked out the top of the tree tubes, that they need caged as well to keep the deer from munching away all that spring growth.

 

[b116757]

I try and do it a few times a year can’t say that it actually happens that way but I try. Winter after leaf drop to clear leaves and prune usually during the growing season at least once because it’s pretty common to have a weed or grass in the tube competing with your tree and I will occasionally summer prune if something is annoying me like a double leader. I simply enjoy checking on my tree babies more than once a year myself any time spent out wondering around on the farm is a good time.

 

[omicron1792]

What time of year do you guys pull your tubes to inspect/clean out old leaves and prune up the trunk?
Has anyone used Tubex Combitube Tree Shelters? I've only used 10 thus far, but they seem to be a good product - very similar in design to the Tree Pro Miracle Tubes.
I've learned the hard way with Redbud seedlings that had just poked out the top of the tree tubes, that they need caged as well to keep the deer from munching away all that spring growth.

I prune I about February when dormant. I do lift tubes a couple of times a year and remove debris and pull any weeds.

I use a 5 or 6’ tube so haven’t had any deer browsing above that.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

I think visiting the tubes twice a year is about the minimum for me. The first time is in March to clean out leaves and check for seedlings that died over winter and do any pruning. The second is in late May when I go around and spray with glyphosate.

 

[Wild Thing]

What time of year do you guys pull your tubes to inspect/clean out old leaves and prune up the trunk?
Has anyone used Tubex Combitube Tree Shelters? I've only used 10 thus far, but they seem to be a good product - very similar in design to the Tree Pro Miracle Tubes.
I've learned the hard way with Redbud seedlings that had just poked out the top of the tree tubes, that they need caged as well to keep the deer from munching away all that spring growth.

I usually wait until the dead leaves easily fall off the trees...when the new shoots start pushing out. I don't like having to pull hard to remove last years' leaves. When they come off easily here is late-May - early-June. I think I am close to having about 300 trees in tubes right now so I don't get them all done at once. I will probably still be working on them throughout summer.

In fact....I am still planting oak seedlings and tubing them this week. I have about 2 dozen more to go which I hope to get at today. My wife served me the eviction notice to get them out of her garden

A lot of what I am planting this year is also serving to take out the "Pie-shaped" sections of some of my food plots that don't lend themselves to easy planting with the drill. By converting those odd shaped corners into "Tree Plots" I don't have to monkey around backing up the drill as much while planting.






I also take a shovel with me so I can berm up a bowl around the trees so they can hold at least a gallon of water. I've been watering when I can this year especially because of the drought conditions we have had. Finally got 0.6 inches of rain this week but we need a lot more.


Didn't get to it this year but most years I will either sprinkle a little granular fertilizer around the young trees or water them with Miracle Grow.


Of course, I seem to lose a few trees every year - usually smaller ones. This year I found a couple of pretty nice trees that were well out of the tubes that were either dead or the tops had died? Not sure what causes a perfectly healthy tree in the fall to look like this in the spring? This one still had some green growth at the bottom so I just cut the top back and put the tube over it again.

 

[MN guy]

For my apples and crabs I used the 6’ Plantra tubes this year with the fiberglass driveway stakes. I put a weedmat at the bottom for weed suppression and build a under that to keep water from running off. So far, so good. This is year one. From what I am reading here, sounds like I should get them out of the tubes sooner than later…?

 

[Wild Thing]

For my apples and crabs I used the 6’ Plantra tubes this year with the fiberglass driveway stakes. I put a weedmat at the bottom for weed suppression and build a under that to keep water from running off. So far, so good. This is year one. From what I am reading here, sounds like I should get them out of the tubes sooner than later…?

Once the trees can support themselves is a good time to remove the tubes. I have removed the tubes when the stem/trunk was still very spindly and could not stand without support so I end up tying some twine to a stake to hold it upright....or rely on the cage to hold it upright. Problem with that is the tree will rub on the cage and get damaged. Finally I decided to just leave the tubes on them longer until the trunk is pretty much self supporting.

 

[buckdeer1]

If you push your tubes in the ground a couple inches you can just dump water down the tube and it will fill a ways and soak in.I have a 30 tree orchard I just put in this year and I set up irrigation from a tote with pump and can water the 30 trees for about 4 hours and give them apx 4 gal twice before I have to refill tote.Luckily we have had rain every other day or so for last month but it's alot easier than putting a bucket beside each tree.

 

[omicron1792]

I’m in year three with my plantra tubes. I’ve read of some removing the stake but leaving the tube in place when tree is out of the top of the tube. Idea is you still get deer protection, but trunk gets strengthened more without support stake. Anyone else done this?

Also the tubes are perforated to “tear” open as tree diameter reaches size of tube. Anyone relied on this for tubes to come off? None of mine are at that point yet.

 

[Wild Thing]

I’m in year three with my plantra tubes. I’ve read of some removing the stake but leaving the tube in place when tree is out of the top of the tube. Idea is you still get deer protection, but trunk gets strengthened more without support stake. Anyone else done this?

Also the tubes are perforated to “tear” open as tree diameter reaches size of tube. Anyone relied on this for tubes to come off? None of mine are at that point yet.

Pretty sure I will be long gone before the trees I have recently planted will ever get to be the same diameter as the tubes. Just sayin.

Diameter of tree stem...3/16" - Diameter of tree tube....about 4". Yep it's going to be a while.