When should I remove tree tubes from young pear and persimmon trees?

[DouglasCorrell]

Early last October I planted a variety of Chestnut Hills 1.5 yr old pear and persimmon trees on a property in W Central Indiana. I installed 5' tree tubes and weed mats when they were planted.
The pear trees have exceeded all my expectation this growing season. Half are over 7' tall while all have grown out of their 5' tubes. All those pears trees were fenced as they grew out of the tubes.
My persimmon trees have not shown much growth at all. They do, however, look very green and healthy despite their early leaf buds getting totally fried in a late-April cold snap.

I've read/watched/heard very conflicting guidance about leaving pears and persimmons tubed past their first growing season. I welcome any and all suggestions from this board regarding whether or not I should leave these trees in tubes for another winter and for the 2024 growing season and beyond.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

Are you planning on protecting them once you remove the tree tubes? At least at my farms, we have to protect both pears and persimmons from browse pressure using tubes and/or cages. I am not familiar with those pears, but I think most persimmons can grow fairly well in tree tubes. With that said, if there are a significant number of branches above 4-5 feet, I would consider pulling them but still protecting their bases with hardware cloth or screens. You might still need to have a flexible stake on the trees until they get a little more rigid and woody.

 

[DouglasCorrell]

Are you planning on protecting them once you remove the tree tubes? At least at my farms, we have to protect both pears and persimmons from browse pressure using tubes and/or cages. I am not familiar with those pears, but I think most persimmons can grow fairly well in tree tubes. With that said, if there are a significant number of branches above 4-5 feet, I would consider pulling them but still protecting their bases with hardware cloth or screens. You might still need to have a flexible stake on the trees until they get a little more rigid and woody.

Any trees not already fenced will be fenced to stop browsing once tubes are removed. I can certainly trim the tubes lower and re-stake. Are there any downfalls to leaving pears and/or persimmons in 5' tubes for 2-4 years?

 

[Hoytvectrix]

Any trees not already fenced will be fenced to stop browsing once tubes are removed. I can certainly trim the tubes lower and re-stake. Are there any downfalls to leaving pears and/or persimmons in 5' tubes for 2-4 years?

I think it depends on their size. They can get leggy, but a fix for that is just staking them once you remove the tubes.

 

[NorthWI]

Any trees not already fenced will be fenced to stop browsing once tubes are removed. I can certainly trim the tubes lower and re-stake. Are there any downfalls to leaving pears and/or persimmons in 5' tubes for 2-4 years?

I got crown rot on multiple apple trees from tubes, a few actually died. I will never use tubes on fruit trees again.

 

[buckdeer1]

I won't tube anything except oaks,fruit trees get fenced.I leave oaks until they almost touch tube then cut off and cage.I would do same on persimmions,pears I would cage