Released123
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Was reading through the thread about pears, and thought I'd share a few tips about planting and watering trees. I did a lot of research on this and so far it has worked, I haven't lost a single tree. Knock on wood!
Weed Mats are really important. They keep weeds from stealing water from your trees.
Tree tubes help in a lot of ways. They act as a greenhouse, they collect moisture (dew), they keep bugs from the trees when young. NOTE: Put a piece of screen over the top of the tube until the tree grows out of it. It will keep wasps from building nests in them and will also keep birds from going down them and getting stuck and dying.
Get a five gallon bucket, drill two 3/32 inch holes in the bottom of the side about three inches apart. Get wire fencing four to five foot tall, with a small enough mesh to keep rabbits and rodents out, but strong enough to keep the deer out. Cut in 10 foot pieces. You will also need T-Posts, Zip Ties, and 1/2 inch schedule 40 PVC.
Clear the ground around where you are planting the tree. Plant the tree in early Spring (February or March) while still dormant. Slide the Weed Mat over the tree, and pin to the ground. Slide the Tree Tube over the tree, drive a 1/2 inch piece of schedule 40 PVC next to the tree tube and secure with Tie Straps. NOTE: If you put a socket on the PVC, it won't split when you are hitting it with a hammer.
Make a circle out of a piece of your fencing. Place it over the tree, and start your T-Posts on the inside of the fencing. Remove the fencing and drive the T-Posts. Secure one end of the fencing to one of the T-Posts. Drop the bucket handle with the holes facing the tree over the other post. Wrap the fencing around the other T-Post and bring around to the first post and secure. NOTE: if you are doing multiple trees, you can measure how far apart the T-Posts are and drive all of them before securing any fencing.
I bought a 65 gallon Water Tank from Tractor Supply, put a Hose Bib on it and use it to water my trees. We don't have any water on our hunting property. So I throw the tank in the truck and haul water. I have found the fastest, easiest way is to fill a five gallon bucket, and dump it into the bucket at the tree. It takes a half hour to 45 minutes for the bucket to irrigate the tree.
I water twice a week (religiously) until the time change, then once a week. The trees have gone dormant by then. It's a labor of love, but if you want your investment to flourish (i.e. not die) it's really important. I have a hour drive up, an hour to water (including filling the tank) and an hour home.
Thank you God, for a understanding Wife!
Weed Mats are really important. They keep weeds from stealing water from your trees.
Tree tubes help in a lot of ways. They act as a greenhouse, they collect moisture (dew), they keep bugs from the trees when young. NOTE: Put a piece of screen over the top of the tube until the tree grows out of it. It will keep wasps from building nests in them and will also keep birds from going down them and getting stuck and dying.
Get a five gallon bucket, drill two 3/32 inch holes in the bottom of the side about three inches apart. Get wire fencing four to five foot tall, with a small enough mesh to keep rabbits and rodents out, but strong enough to keep the deer out. Cut in 10 foot pieces. You will also need T-Posts, Zip Ties, and 1/2 inch schedule 40 PVC.
Clear the ground around where you are planting the tree. Plant the tree in early Spring (February or March) while still dormant. Slide the Weed Mat over the tree, and pin to the ground. Slide the Tree Tube over the tree, drive a 1/2 inch piece of schedule 40 PVC next to the tree tube and secure with Tie Straps. NOTE: If you put a socket on the PVC, it won't split when you are hitting it with a hammer.
Make a circle out of a piece of your fencing. Place it over the tree, and start your T-Posts on the inside of the fencing. Remove the fencing and drive the T-Posts. Secure one end of the fencing to one of the T-Posts. Drop the bucket handle with the holes facing the tree over the other post. Wrap the fencing around the other T-Post and bring around to the first post and secure. NOTE: if you are doing multiple trees, you can measure how far apart the T-Posts are and drive all of them before securing any fencing.
I bought a 65 gallon Water Tank from Tractor Supply, put a Hose Bib on it and use it to water my trees. We don't have any water on our hunting property. So I throw the tank in the truck and haul water. I have found the fastest, easiest way is to fill a five gallon bucket, and dump it into the bucket at the tree. It takes a half hour to 45 minutes for the bucket to irrigate the tree.
I water twice a week (religiously) until the time change, then once a week. The trees have gone dormant by then. It's a labor of love, but if you want your investment to flourish (i.e. not die) it's really important. I have a hour drive up, an hour to water (including filling the tank) and an hour home.
Thank you God, for a understanding Wife!
