chasmo54
02-11-2006, 04:30 PM
I have done the following with great success. Once a tree is out of a 60” tube (1-2 years) and above browsing deer, simply remove the tube (leave the stake) and reuse it over a new seedling. I use electrical conduit for my stakes and leave the stakes until the tree is at least 5' in caliper because it seems to discourage deer rubs.
The tree you removed the tube from will need to be supported, as it will be weak "leggy". Simply take some arbor rope or whatever you have and tie the tree to the existing stake leaving about 12-15" of slack for movement. I like to make a loop that won't tighten and place this loop above one of the branches so it won't slide down the trunk. This will allow the weak leggy tree to move in the wind, simulating the trunk to build caliper and in less than 6 months, you can remove the arbor rope. Finally, use a tree wrap to protect the base of the tree from mice and rabbits. This method of reusing the tubes can save you money when planting seedlings every year. I get three seedling starts from one tube before the tubes are to brittle to reuse and start to break apart. Tubes are at there most benefit to the trees in the seedling stage anyway by accelerating the growth of the tree, “The best part” and getting it over the heads of our whitetail friends to eventually canopy out. Using the tube three times for three seedlings effectively gets my cost if I paid $3.25 for the 60” tube to start with to only $1.08 per tube.
The tree you removed the tube from will need to be supported, as it will be weak "leggy". Simply take some arbor rope or whatever you have and tie the tree to the existing stake leaving about 12-15" of slack for movement. I like to make a loop that won't tighten and place this loop above one of the branches so it won't slide down the trunk. This will allow the weak leggy tree to move in the wind, simulating the trunk to build caliper and in less than 6 months, you can remove the arbor rope. Finally, use a tree wrap to protect the base of the tree from mice and rabbits. This method of reusing the tubes can save you money when planting seedlings every year. I get three seedling starts from one tube before the tubes are to brittle to reuse and start to break apart. Tubes are at there most benefit to the trees in the seedling stage anyway by accelerating the growth of the tree, “The best part” and getting it over the heads of our whitetail friends to eventually canopy out. Using the tube three times for three seedlings effectively gets my cost if I paid $3.25 for the 60” tube to start with to only $1.08 per tube.