Tree tubes for fruit trees?

BobinCt

5 year old buck +
I’m debating if I should use the 6 ft tree tubes next year for when I plant more trees? How many of you use them? I’ve never used them in the past, but always had good protection and success between the window screen, weed mats, stone and 5 ft welded wire fencing. Some who have used them say the growth is much better vs no tube. It appears as though they remove them permanently after two years. Is this right? Is it worth spending the extra $? I don’t mind spending the $ if the protection and growth is much better. Any feedback would be great. Thx
 
All depends on the type and variety of fruit trees. Some do well in tree tubes and others don't. So far, I've only found pairs and dolgo crabapples to do well in tree tubes.

There are other threads on this forum that talk about this. I'd Google search and you can probably find some info that way.
 
My fruit trees had a fungus when I tried tubes,I use tubes on all my oaks and cages on fruit trees and chestnuts.I am trying tubes on 4 new chestnuts planted this spring.I noticed you mentioned removing in 2 years.I know on mine I leave until the oaks trunks almost touch the tubes then cut them off.I then put cages that are about 12 inches bigger than trunk to keep deer from rubbing
 
I’m debating if I should use the 6 ft tree tubes next year for when I plant more trees? How many of you use them? I’ve never used them in the past, but always had good protection and success between the window screen, weed mats, stone and 5 ft welded wire fencing. Some who have used them say the growth is much better vs no tube. It appears as though they remove them permanently after two years. Is this right? Is it worth spending the extra $? I don’t mind spending the $ if the protection and growth is much better. Any feedback would be great. Thx

I like tubes for most of my trees, but not for apple or pear. I have more luck caging those. They seem to be attractive enough to my deer that they need a bit more protection. Tubes have worked fine for persimmons, chestnuts, and similar trees.

Thanks,

Jack
 
I put about 30 in tubes last spring and 30 more this spring really so far I don’t really have much go complain about these where 60” tubes. Will I loose a few yes most likely but that could just as easily happen in cages. I’m not crumbing cages I’ve just been planting so many in the last couple years that I’m uninterested in fooling with that many cages. Also I’ve learned my lesson in the past about letting the fruit trees start branching below about 5’ I will not make that mistake again.
 
I put my dolgo rootstock in tubes this year, but I doubled them up to make a larger diameter. My plan is to graft them next year and will eventually put cages around them.
 
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Common Wild Apple will grow in tubes. Then I cut them back and cage then n year 2 or 3.
 
Looks like in the long run, youll end up with cages. I'd say keep doing what has been working for you.

I do alot of driving to work in a flood prone area. MAny riparian stream bank restoration site and folks putting new plantings is yards. I see alot of tubes with nothing in them. One spot I am allowed to take willow and dogwood cutting has those tubes. 3/4's of them didnt take. and you can see mouse nests in them. Few of the ones I see are apple trees, but I dont like the law of averages.

Do as many as you have the time and resources to do right.

Do you have a noticeable field mice or vole population? If so, the rodents will love the deluxe apartment in the sky.......
 
^^^^ This. We did poly tubes once at our camp and mice / voles moved right in, made nests, and chewed the bark off all the way up to snow depth. Lost every tree. Since following the advice of earlier apple tree experts on here & going with cages / weed mats / aluminum window screening / crushed limestone screenings - we've had no problems with our apple, crab, and pear trees. FWIW.
 
^^^^ This. We did poly tubes once at our camp and mice / voles moved right in, made nests, and chewed the bark off all the way up to snow depth. Lost every tree. Since following the advice of earlier apple tree experts on here & going with cages / weed mats / aluminum window screening / crushed limestone screenings - we've had no problems with our apple, crab, and pear trees. FWIW.
Follow this advice.
I lost two apple trees this winter that still had the old sheet style wraps on them, ya know the type that you zip tie together to form the tube. Mice moved in girdled the bark = dead tree.
I've begun using these wraps from Peach ridge nursery. It seems the porcupines may be screwing with them or maybe the wind might be blowing a few off??? I'm not sure. Might start doubling them up they are cost effective enough. Anyway, no mice issues and they will expand on their own thus if I leave them on for ten years it shouldn't be an issue.

Flex guard wrap
 
I assume you are talking about seedlings? I have used 3’ tubes for seedlings with great success. I cage it after they are out of tube and leave tubes on until I need them for something else. I would cut the 6’ in half.
 
Anything plastic around a tree the mice can chew through.
 
We buy our aluminum window screen for tree wraps from a "surplus supply" type of place that handles rope, chain, hardware of all sorts, rubber tie-downs, tarps, etc. They have bulk rolls of screen and fencing for good prices compared to big box stores. We haven't found anything that beats aluminum window screen for tree wraps. Air circulation and no varmint chewing.

I learned it on here from others - some of whom no longer post here .................. sadly. They're the real experts on apple & other fruit trees, cuz they've grown them for years.
 
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