Fruit trees

[sghoghunter]

I bought me some pear,apple and peach trees this afternoon and I'm wanting to put the tubes around them to keep the deer from nipping at them. Only problem is some have small limbs already growing off down low. Can I trim them off for the tubes or leave alone without tubes?

 

[Lilly001]

If they are in a dormant state I would trim them and put on the tubes.
If they are actively growing I would get advice from an expert who should be along shorty.

 

[sghoghunter]

They already have buds and have a few buds already busting open into leaves

 

[Crakajak]

The less limbs and leaves you have will allow the tree to establish more roots instead of limb growth the first year making it healthier in years to come.

 

[sghoghunter]

So it'll be ok to snip them off?

 

[Crakajak]

I have always cut all the limbs off except the top 2 and then put pruning sealer on the ones I cut off.I have planted trees as late a feb/march and only had 1 die.The key is to keep the roots damp(but not drenched) the first year.

 

[Burton]

I just planted 3 peach trees, so while we're here......

What's the best way to keep weeds/grass off of them?

Edit: These trees are approx 7 ft tall.

 

[Howard Roark]

I just planted 3 peach trees, so while we're here......

What's the best way to keep weeds/grass off of them?

Edit: These trees are approx 7 ft tall.

Roundup and then mulch with leaves.

 

[Elkbane]

Cut a 3'- 4' square of landscape fabric, on one siide, make a slit from the edge to the center. Once planted, slip the slit around the stem at ground level and stake the slit and all 4 corners with landscape fabric pins. Cover with 1/2 bag of cypress mulch. Put your wire protective cage (if you use one) on top of that and stake it down with lightweight t-posts on both sides. If you're using decent quality tree tubes, you can drive by and spray any weeds that get through with roundup and it won't damage the tree. I have 12 chestnuts, several pears, apples and plums planted that way and so far, no problems with weeds.

Optional - if you need to support the tree against wind, run a piece of tie wire from the top of one T-post to the other and take a wrap around the tree tube in the center, then tie it off securely to the opposite T-post. That will support the stem pretty well until the roots get established.
Elkbane