Best Value Tree Guards 1.2m

[lambic]

Hello Gents,

Hopefully someone has prior experience of the most costs effecient option for roe proof tree guards for around 2000 cell grown trees.

From what I can deduce the best options are:

1) Garden canes + 60cm spiral guard + pieces of 1.2m chicken wire cut into cylinders

2) Balance E Type Shelter + Stake

3) Tubex 1.2m + stakes

Seems like the tree protection costs about 5x more than the cell grown saplings.

Will probably do some spraying at base and some mulching.

Hopefully someone has a genius idea that saves me £3k !!!

 

[kes]

This is a deer stalking site - shoot and eat them.
The twirly type are dirt cheap in bulk - try the woodland trust ?

 

[.25-06]

1) Garden canes + 60cm spiral guard + pieces of 1.2m chicken wire cut into cylinders
[Garden cane will rot out within 12 months, 60cm height, chicken wire will end up entangled in tree ..just NO]

2) Balance E Type Shelter + Stake
[ I think they are only 75cm tall, a bit short, pricey?]

3) Tubex 1.2m + stakes
[Best of the bad options, biggest cost will come from maintaining the tubes and stakes]

Consider- Plant £1.5K bare rooted additional, extra trees to allow for nibbled. Shoot any suspicious vegetarian nibbling tree tops

 

[lambic]

1) Garden canes + 60cm spiral guard + pieces of 1.2m chicken wire cut into cylinders
[Garden cane will rot out within 12 months, 60cm height, chicken wire will end up entangled in tree ..just NO]

2) Balance E Type Shelter + Stake
[ I think they are only 75cm tall, a bit short, pricey?]

3) Tubex 1.2m + stakes
[Best of the bad options, biggest cost will come from maintaining the tubes and stakes]

Consider- Plant £1.5K bare rooted additional, extra trees to allow for nibbled. Shoot any suspicious vegetarian nibbling tree tops

Glad you dislike the 1.2m wire tubes, will be a bitch the make them.

Think they do the E-Type in 1.2m as well. I reckon it also works out cheaper than the tubex.

I want to maintain a resident roe population, but take 2 a year.

If go down the sacrificial tree route, how many ?

 

[lambic]

This is a deer stalking site - shoot and eat them.
The twirly type are dirt cheap in bulk - try the woodland trust ?

Spiral guards are for rabbits, not deer.

I do not need your advice on shooting deer.

 

[Rhodesianjess]

Last replanting we had done on this estate, mixed hardwood,they used mats under the tubes. Contractors reckon no need to attend to spray,thus cutting future costs. Don't know if this helps,but savings always a good idea.
Working too, five years on still working.

 

[Overlay]

give agrii a ring in dunkirk, Nr canterbury, they have a guy making them on site out of galvanised mesh at a good price, i’ve found these hold up better against rabbit damage than the other more modern types

also agricare. Aylesham ( kent) do different types and price

 

[.25-06]

I want to maintain a resident roe population, but take 2 a year. [That's not a great combination if you really want the trees to grow]

If go down the sacrificial tree route, how many ? Crystal ball time, 15-20% bare rooted small trees smaller and faster to establish. If you have nothing eating the trees and no other deaths 20% seem to many. 10-15 years down the road it is easier to remove some trees than wish more had been planted.
Cluster planting 6-10m plots and double height rabbit fence the perimeter.

How did the tree planting upstream from Alford get on? I seem to remember thousands of tree shelters alongside the river Don, looked neat until first winter winds battered them. The cost of maintaining tree shelters has always been eye watering. If the site is correctly prepared and secure that won't be required.

 

[lambic]

Last replanting we had done on this estate, mixed hardwood,they used mats under the tubes. Contractors reckon no need to attend to spray,thus cutting future costs. Don't know if this helps,but savings always a good idea.
Working too, five years on still working.

Thanks, they must be mulch mats.

 

[lambic]

Tree shelters everywhere here, they never remove them and they just blow around.

Reckon a cunning plan might be to cover 1000 with tubes, then plant 2000 unguarded in the best stalking positions. See how that works out for a few years.

 

[rem284]

Shoot, shoot and shoot more deer. I have several restock sites spread over several thousand hectares. All damage levels less the 3%. No fencing or tubes, just bullets and work

 

[lambic]

So I am guessing no one has different 1.2m tree guards to ?

* Balance E Type Shelter + Stake

or

* Tubex 1.2m + stakes

 

[Pelyma]

I use canes with spiral guards and then electric fencing, in some areas I use netting and in other areas I use gallagher smart fence. If the fence isn't on with the latter the roe slip through it \\9never seem to jump it). I have planted around 800 trees in the last 5 years; those that didn't have the fencing had near 100% loss and with fencing no deer loss at all. My land is frequented by up to 30 fallow and half a dozen roe when the next door campsite opens and the fallow bugger off.

 

[monarman]

As part of our funded tree planting (and some unfunded as his lordship just "wants some there") .. we are using tubex and the associated stake and mulchmats...
I know it ain't cheap but funding covers it.

We are also trying the biodegradable tubes for the first time which are supposed to start breaking down after 5 years ...
The boss doesn't like deer fencing
and even the fc admit that deer will get in eventually!

 

[Freeforester]

So I am guessing no one has different 1.2m tree guards to ?

* Balance E Type Shelter + Stake

or

* Tubex 1.2m + stakes

Thirty years ago I successfully established a 25 acre mixed hardwood adjacent to a much larger sitka forest, using gro-cones, from istr Loddon staked with bamboo canes ( this was the most affordable/cost effective solution available at that time). Doubtful as to whether they are still available, James. They were slightly tapered single wall tubes.

More recently I’ve watched roe tiptoe on the mounds now created for planting, and browsing on the leading shoots exposed atop 1,2m staked tubes, and although this is perhaps not too usual, where the alternative forage is somewhat unpalatable they will make the effort to stretch a little.

I look on with interest meantime at a more recent FLS riparian restock where red deer outnumber roe, but where the saplings are ensconced in 1,2m tubes, with stakes all the way from the borders, despite a local sawmill producing same less than 2 miles from the site; the ‘stakes seem to be high’, the tubes however, less so…


Getting ready to feed the local deer…what could go wrong?

If the site isn’t overly large, I’d suggest you consider an offset electric wire perimeter fence, and use your time productively to maintain the efficacy of the live wires, a perimeter mat made using DPC of reasonable width should assist.

Be aware that cell grown trees smell rather sweet to deer when planted in moderate soils and thereby attract attention, native species all the more so.

 

[VSS]

Get some 2nd hand tree guards, and save a few quid. I was offered a whole load not long ago, by someone who had removed them from their young trees once they outgrew them, so I know that they do crop up from time to time.

 

[Miki]

I do not need your advice on shooting deer.

Are you a vegitarian yourself ?

 

[User00040]

 

[countrryboy]

Wot species of tree are they? Will they be paticularly tasty for Roe?
How big is ur roe population. How big is ur rabbt and vole population?
is there much other winter/spring food about for the roe/rabbits/voles?

With 2000 trees ur talking about roughly 1 Ha of planting at commercial matrix/distances, guesing over a bigger area if for amenity thou.

In theory if ur own money and planting ur trees urself u could afford to completely replant 5 times and still be cheaper than stakes ( plus ur planting costs will increase dramatically if tubed and staked) even if u planted with out any protection and just beat the trees up more often than normal i would imagine u would be quids in.
Or plant a small area or 2 in phases to see if unguarded works or not

I would say a combination of planting sacrifical trees or something edible esp if in good places to cull deer

 

[lambic]

Thirty years ago I successfully established a 25 acre mixed hardwood adjacent to a much larger sitka forest, using gro-cones, from istr Loddon staked with bamboo canes ( this was the most affordable/cost effective solution available at that time). Doubtful as to whether they are still available, James. They were slightly tapered single wall tubes.

More recently I’ve watched roe tiptoe on the mounds now created for planting, and browsing on the leading shoots exposed atop 1,2m staked tubes, and although this is perhaps not too usual, where the alternative forage is somewhat unpalatable they will make the effort to stretch a little.

I look on with interest meantime at a more recent FLS riparian restock where red deer outnumber roe, but where the saplings are ensconced in 1,2m tubes, with stakes all the way from the borders, despite a local sawmill producing same less than 2 miles from the site; the ‘stakes seem to be high’, the tubes however, less so…

View attachment 278544
Getting ready to feed the local deer…what could go wrong?

If the site isn’t overly large, I’d suggest you consider an offset electric wire perimeter fence, and use your time productively to maintain the efficacy of the live wires, a perimeter mat made using DPC of reasonable width should assist.

Be aware that cell grown trees smell rather sweet to deer when planted in moderate soils and thereby attract attention, native species all the more so.

Hi Steve

Will google that make.

That picture does not look great

Perimeter of an electric fence would be >5000m or so, and cause a load of hassle so not viable.

Wot species of tree are they? Will they be paticularly tasty for Roe?
How big is ur roe population. How big is ur rabbt and vole population?
is there much other winter/spring food about for the roe/rabbits/voles?

With 2000 trees ur talking about roughly 1 Ha of planting at commercial matrix/distances, guesing over a bigger area if for amenity thou.

In theory if ur own money and planting ur trees urself u could afford to completely replant 5 times and still be cheaper than stakes ( plus ur planting costs will increase dramatically if tubed and staked) even if u planted with out any protection and just beat the trees up more often than normal i would imagine u would be quids in.
Or plant a small area or 2 in phases to see if unguarded works or not

I would say a combination of planting sacrifical trees or something edible esp if in good places to cull deer

CB,

Will be silver birch, downy birch, hazel, weeping willow, oak, scots pine, beech, rowan and a few more I have forgotten. So prime grub for the roe.

Over time I'll be planting up around 5 hectares to make a stalking wynd, this is just phase 1. I will do everything myself by hand and its all my own cash

This is the new place, so not sure about rabbits and voles. Did not see the usual evidence. There are definitely roe and hares living in it, thankfully no reds.

Get some 2nd hand tree guards, and save a few quid. I was offered a whole load not long ago, by someone who had removed them from their young trees once they outgrew them, so I know that they do crop up from time to time.

That could work VSS. Question is finding someone