1) All Plantra Treeshelters are meant to protect small seedling trees (trees that are shorter than the treeshelter itself) (Figure 1). Plantra Treeshelters are NOT meant for use as a "bark wrap" around sapling trees (trees that are already taller than the treeshelter).
2) Side branches - Prune lateral branches. If your seedlings have side (lateral) branches, do NOT bend these upward to squeeze them into the tube.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
If this is done, narrow branch crotch angles will develop, which are weak branch attachments and may be difficult to prune properly in the future.
Prune seedling to a single stem before "tubing" them. It is important that the seedling fit loosely in the treeshelter.
3) Choose which seedlings to tube - Many reforestation plans call for using treeshelters on only a portion of the trees you plant. In this case, we recommend the following steps:
As you plant, watch for seedlings with the THICKEST STEMS and the ROOT SYSTEMS WITH THE MOST SIDE OR LATERAL ROOTS. Research shows that these seedlings will be your top performers, and are most likely to become your crop trees.
Use your Plantra Treeshelters on the chosen strongest seedlings. Either mark the strong seedlings as you plant so that you can go back and tube them, or tube them as you plant.
Do not use your treeshelters on the weakest seedlings in hopes that they will catch up to the strong ones. Remember - Plantra Treeshelters are a very effective tool for establishing trees that will achieve specific management objectives. There is no point in tubing the weaker seedlings while leaving the strongest seedlings exposed to deer browse or other dangers.
4) The 6 steps to a successful planting project - We know that you may have already followed these steps, but it may be helpful to review this procedure in order to increase the success of your planting project:
PLANTSELECTION- Select tree species to plant which will thrive in your soil and climatic conditions. Trees that are well suited to your site will provide much more enjoyment and will be much more rewarding than "higher value" trees that are not suited for your growing conditions. Improperly chosen species will struggle year after year and may not give you the results you intended.
SITE PREPERATION- Proper site preparation is critical. Just like the house painter who spends 6 days "prepping" the walls so that the actual painting takes only one day and yields perfect results, the more planning and effort you invest in site preparation the more successful your project will be. Ask your forester or county conservationist about the best methods of site preparation in your area.
PLANTING- Plant seedlings to the proper depth, which will allow the roots to "fan out" when planting. Avoid upward-bending J-roots and spiraling roots. Gently tamp the soil around the newly planted tree to avoid air pockets and soil settling issues.
BROWSE PROTECTION- Use treeshelters to protect your future crop trees from the browse of deer, rabbits and rodents.
WEED CONTROL- Using treeshelters will make the seedlings easier to find for weed control, and protect them from herbicide spray. Because newly planted trees can't compete for sun, water and nutrients with established grasses and brush, weed control is necessary! Weed control consists of 2 parts: complete weed control (spraying, mulching or using weed mats) around each seedling and keep grass and brush low by mowing to reduce rodent habitat (Figure 4).
Figure 4
MAINTENANCE- A guideline for treeshelter removal is when the base of the tree = 3 1/2" in diameter. The treeshelters do have perforated edges that will break as the stem is expanding, however, treeshelters are not meant to stay on indefinitely. Treeshelters should be inspected annually, and removed before the tree reaches the diameter of the tube.
Figure 5
5) A word about Bird Netting - 4 and 5 foot Plantra Treeshelters come with purple netting that can be placed around the circumference of the treeshelter top. Use of this bird netting will prevent birds from nesting or becoming trapped in the treeshelter (Figure 5).
