Tree tube rookie.

[Angus 1895]

Hello I just been installing tree pro tubes.

I have a few questions.

1. I been putting the ridged side inside towards the tree. correct?

2 When is a double tube indicated?

3. I understand chestnuts dont like tubes? Are there other trees not to tube?

4. I been using sulfur and ironite in the soil below the plant to encourage a more acidic environment.
Is there a downside to this?

5 . How important is “ scoring “ the root bound potted tree. It seems the oaks mostly have a tap root?

6. How should the leaves be arranged. Pointing up or down?

Thanks

 

[Troubles Trees]

Don't overthink it, your best investment besides your tube is a good stake and weedmat.

1) I don't use that style so although I am not sure I don't think it matters.
2) Double tube? Maybe means putting 2 together to make a bigger tube?
3) Wasps like to make nests in my tubes but other than that I had better success just caging and weedmatting Oaks but this could be area specific. Everything else did better in tubes than no tube. In general, tubes promote tall lanky trees so when I pull the tube they won't stand on their own most of the time.
4) I have a soil test so I know I need P & K as well as lime. Ideally I would clean out the hole and throw a handful of 0-19-19 around the edge of the hole, then add some soil to cover fertilizer so it doesn't directly touch the roots, then plant the tree and add a cup or so of Lime on top in a 3' circle around the tree, then add the weedmat.
5) I just plant it. I do see where some people untangle/cut the circling roots.
6) I'm not sure I understand but if you mean if the leave tips should be pointing at the sky or the ground it should be pointed down so they get maximum sunlight.

 

[Teeder]

1- I don't think that matters. I never paid attention to that. They have a tendency to bend one way easier than the other. I just go with that.
2- I double up on fruit or small evergreens. This is a newer process for me and i intend it to be short-term. I did put my dolgo rootstock in doubled tubes this spring and they did really well. Plenty of room to breathe. Next year they get grafted. Will leave the tubes on through the summer and then cage.
3- my chestnuts did not do well in tubes. May have been ok if I doubled them.
6- I usually have them down.

 

[trampledbyturtles]

4, no amount of soil ammendment will change your soil chemical balance. Not worth the long term effort, you have what you have.

5 very important

Also always put your stakes on the inside of the tube to provide structure, or they tend to crimp in half during high heat, snapping your tree.

 

[blueKYstream]

I didn't have issues with chestnuts in tubes except for one. We had a drought a couple years back at the end of summer for about 8 or 10 weeks. The temps got above 100 several days and the rest were in the 90's. The chestnuts (and persimmons) I tubed that hadn't reached the top of the tube baked. Fortunately, both varieties mostly grew back from the roots the following year. Trees that had made it to the top of the tube were fine (other than the leaves inside the tube turning brown).

 

[Teeder]

Also always put your stakes on the inside of the tube to provide structure, or they tend to crimp in half during high heat, snapping your tree.

I haven't had this happen. My tubes are attached top-middle-bottom. I'm not sure how this would happen without a bear or rutty buck helping it along. Which has happened.

 

[trampledbyturtles]

To each their own. Just have seen way to many fail to risk it on my own trees.

 

[Angus 1895]

Thanks

 

[BuckSutherland]

I like the 5 foot miracle tube from Tree pro. I usually plant my seedling, pound in a T post to hold the tube, put down a weed mat, add mulch, install tube and zip tie top, middle, bottom. These tubes have been great for me. I wouldnt consider buying anything else. Mine dont kink or bed over now either, but a few of the older tubes we had did. I think the stake you use to hold the tube makes a difference. I am normally using T post and dont have any issues.

 

[Jerry]

I use 1/2" pvc on 5 footers alot but get this sometimes. This was earlier this year and a result of too fast of growth. Bucks get them too. Had 5 down on the ground around where I was hunting tonight and figured bucks got them. Climbed in stand and an hour later watched a little buck murder a 6th one and crimp the pvc stake to the point that it will need replaced. I don't know how I ever get any trees to survive sometimes.

 

[buckdeer1]

I have tubed hundreds of trees and am still learning.I don't tube fruit trees, chestnuts or cedars.The tree pro tubes I got you can/t double to make bigger around. Put stake on outside and the best I have found is the oak stake.The conduit is ok but I had issues with the tube wanting to slide around conduit unless I put a wrap of duck tape around top of tube and conduit. I let my trees grow until they are almost touching inside of tube and then cut tube off and replace with a cage about a foot larger than trunk.Hardwoods really see higher survival rate.The state checked mine when I was testing for them and I had 74% after 2 years.Actually too many survived and they wanted me to cut down some 15ft tall oaks.

 

[buckdeer1]

I have had a couple where they pulled the tube off the tree.Yours above looks like the tube slipped around the conduit

 

[Angus 1895]

15 foot oak…….what age was that bad boy?

 

[Angus 1895]

Thanks

I think I will go to T posts as needed.

The challenge is not every tree planted is going to be able to get a T post next to it as the ground is in places very rocky.

Right now I am using miracle grow tree stakes. Luckily I don’t have much evidence of buck rubs.

 

[buckdeer1]

T post you will have a heck of time pulling after a few years with a tree right next to it

 

[buckdeer1]

Those oaks were 10-12 years old and producing.I had burs start before sawtooth

 

[Angus 1895]

I am getting jacked about this deal!

Thanks Teeder!

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Tubed my first trees this year. The red oaks protected in Northern MN had a 100% rate of being destroyed by bears. They were tree pro tubes with wooden stakes. Not sure if T Posts would hold up a little better..

 

[buckdeer1]

I wouldn't put tube on inside and my worry about using T post is trying to remove after a couple years,maybe take the flag off or use rebar

 

[homerj1]

Any idea if the tubes destroyed by bears had wasp nests in them?